Of Foxes, Toads, and Ninja
by DrWillis
Summary: *DISCONTINUED* My computer dumped every chapter I had written into this story, something that really killed my motivation to continue writing this one. However, I've started on a different story, something I'm sure you'll all enjoy when I eventually put it out.
1. Prologue

**Of Foxes, Toads, and Ninja**

**A/N: Hello, and welcome to my Naruto fanfic. This is my first Naruto story, and I'm pretty excited to be writing and publishing it! Expect updates once a week at least, usually on Mondays. This is an AU story, rated M for future scenes of sex, violence, language, and any other M rated reason. Hope you all enjoy, and be sure to favorite this if you enjoy this little taste of the story, as I'll continue to write this thing out until it's completely finished. If you review, cool. If not, its not the end of the world. So with out further stalling, here is the prologue to Foxes, Toads, and Ninja. **

Copyright Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own any characters from said franchise. If I did…well I wouldn't be writing on here.

Prologue: A Day Remembered By All

Today had been one hell of a day, to say the least. It went from chaotic, to total shit storm, to calm in a matter of a few hours, but the night was still young. Sure, the Nine-Tailed Fox was finally gone and there were survivors, so it wasn't as if the village's military strength was crippled. No, what kept this night from ending was the current predicament that the Third Hokage was in.

It was a secret that the Fourth had a wife, and said wife had just happened to give birth to their one and only son in order to seal the Fox away, but now she was gone, having died in the birthing process. Now the boy, Naruto Namikaze, was parentless along with being the container of the Nine-Tail. What made matters worse though, was that majority of the council was up in arms about what to do with the boy, saying he was a demon that needed to be taken care of. Now, Sarutobi was completely against the idea, stating that he was just a child, the son of a hero in fact! If it were up to him, the boy would be treated like the hero he was. Unfortunately, it wasn't in his power to keep the boy safe as things were without starting unrest amongst the clans. He knew he could only stall a little longer, and he prayed that something happen to change this. Fortunately for him and for young Naruto, it seemed that fate was in fact feeling quite generous as a new stranger entered the loud council room.

"Hey now, just what the fuck is going on!?" the stranger asked loudly, gaining the attention of everybody in the room. "I want to know where my Godson is, and I want to know now!"

"Ah, Jiraiya, I'll be completely honest when I say you've come just in time." Sarutobi stated with a sigh, thanking whatever god answered his prayer.

"Did you say you're Godson? We were under the impression that the demon was without anybody." A civilian council member said, the frown not leaving his face.

"Yeah, Minato told me should anything ever happen to him or Kushina, that his son be put under my care. So I'll ask again, where is he?" the toad sage asked again, this time in a little louder in case he wasn't heard the first time.

"He is currently being kept in the nursery, but it doesn't matter. The brat is a demon and a threat, therefore he must be killed!" another civilian said, earning more than a few nods and cheers in agreement from civilian and shinobi alike. Jiraiya did notice that even though majority of the council seemed to believe the nonsense, there were still a few members that looked guilty at the decision reached, the Hyuuga and Uchiha clan heads in particular.

"We don't know for certain if the child will in fact be a threat or not. I still don't believe we should jump to conclusions, especially since this is the son of the Fourth that we're talking about!" Hiashi Hyuuga said louder than normal, hoping to get the attention of those that we're for killing an innocent child out of fear. Unfortunately, his words fell on deaf ears, as those that already had their minds made up were starting to get louder and more chaotic. In the Hyuuga's eyes, the child deserved better than this, Hokage's son or not. Jiraiya had seen and heard enough to know that he had to step in.

"Enough! I've been here long enough already to realize that most of you are completely fucking stupid! I'm the boy's Godfather, and I propose that I take the child with me since it looks like we won't be able to stay here peacefully. That way, he gets a chance at growing up and he isn't in your precious village." Jiraiya stated loudly, once again getting the attention of everybody in the room. There was a moment of calm as everybody thought it over before, one by one, they all began to agree. Sarutobi could only nod his head as he managed to maintain his composure on the outside. Inside though, he was cheering loudly, glad that such an atrocity would not come to pass.

"Well now, if there is nobody in the room that objects to said offer, then I say we go ahead and proceed with other matters that need taken care of. Jiraiya, do you know where the nursery is in the hospital?" Sarutobi asked, the smile now clear on his face. He wasn't the only one to wear a smile now though, as the Hyuuga and Uchiha clan heads both had smiles on their faces as well. Both knew that this was a blessing, even if it meant that the boy wouldn't be raised in his home village. Both knew that he would return someday though, knowing that the young Namikaze couldn't be kept away forever.

"Yeah, I know where it is. We'll both be gone by morning, don't worry." Jiraiya stated somewhat solemnly, wishing that it hadn't come down to the child being rushed out of the village. He hoped that wherever Minato was that he wasn't watching this moment of weakness in the village he loved and died defending. If it had come down to a fight, he would have been more than ready to take them on for custody, but a peaceful agreement was in fact much better for the kid if he planned on coming back someday. Not caring about whatever else they had to talk about, the Sannin dismissed himself. Heading for the hospital, the excitement of being able to raise his Godson was now starting to sink in as he developed his own goofy grin.

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"So you're the boy's Godfather? How generous of you to want and raise him! I'm so glad that you want to be involved, especially since it looks like the poor dear lost both parents." A nurse said happily as she led Jiraiya to where the boy was sleeping. She was young, somewhat ditzy, and had no idea just who this kid was. The toad sage couldn't help but smile at how clueless she was, but it made the process that much easier. After a couple minutes of walking, they finally entered the room that Naruto was sleeping in, the boy blissfully unaware of all the chaos around him.

"He looks just like his father." Jiraiya said, thinking back to his memories of a young Minato as a student. The toad sage knew then and there that he would grow up to be a fine young man, especially with his guidance. After all, he was a Sannin! With him as a teacher and caretaker, and Naruto having Hokage blood in him, he knew it in his gut that the boy was destined for great things.

"He's so cute; I know you'll do an excellent job with him." The nurse said happily as she finished up the paperwork so the two could leave. She did find it unusual that the two were leaving so soon, but didn't think to ask about it. She was just glad that the boy wasn't all alone. It didn't take long afterward to finish up the required forms, and soon the two were on their way out. As they left, she was stuck thinking about how familiar the child's last name sounded. She soon gave up on trying to remember, not really very concerned about it as she went back to work.

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He had been travelling for some time now before he finally deemed it far enough away to set up camp. The toad sage had wanted to be far enough away that any leaf ninja that were out and about the next morning wouldn't come across their campsite and wake the kid up. While setting up the tent, he thought about where they would go and what they could do. Sure, he was a legend and would be accepted everywhere, but what about the kid? He was the son of the Yellow Flash of the Leaf, a man that was world renowned as a great hero and dangerous enemy. He'd have to remember that if he ever wandered into earth country. But for now, all he'd have to worry about was making sure they got a decent night's sleep so they could hit the road somewhat early tomorrow. As he lay down into his sleeping bag though, the child woke up and began crying loudly.

"Damn it kid, this is going to be a long and loud childhood, isn't it." Jiraiya muttered to himself as he went to sooth the child. Little did he know that he was more correct than he thought.


	2. Chapter 1

**Of Foxes, Toads, and Ninja**

**A/N: Wow was I surprised at all the favorites and people that want to follow this after a mere prologue. I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to read it. This chapter is meant to show character development, and is still a short chapter compared to chapters later on. Hope you guys enjoy, here's the first chapter!**

Copyright Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own any characters from said franchise. If I did…well I wouldn't be writing on here.

Chapter 1: Life On The Road

**Five Years Later**

"Happy birthday Naruto!" Jiraiya said loudly, waking up the young boy from his peaceful sleeping. Every year it had been like this, Jiraiya would let him sleep in, then wake him up suddenly with the traditional statement. The toad sage still couldn't believe that it had been five years already since the two left the leaf village, and it amazed him even further just how much his Godson had grown in that time. He was normal as far as height and weight went for a five year old, but you could see it in his eyes that he was more mature than any other five year old you'd meet. They were a deep, ocean blue that held much emotion and potential, even if they were still half asleep. He was wearing brown shorts and a simple white short sleeved shirt that had streaks of orange on the edges with a red swirl that dominated the back. Slowly, the boy realized what day it was as a smile formed and he jumped into his Godfather's arms, enveloping him in the biggest hug he could muster.

"Thanks Granddad, I almost forgot it was my birthday today!" Naruto proclaimed excitedly as he released his hug on the grinning toad sage. It had only been the two of them for as long as he could remember, but he didn't mind. He was always curious about his mother and father, and every birthday his grandpa would tell him stories about what they were like and why they couldn't be there. At first it had made him sad knowing they were gone, but it was usually short lived as he realized he still had Grandpa Jiraiya. True, they weren't actually related, but they had a bond that was as strong, if not stronger than that of a family related by blood. He looked up to Jiraiya, and nothing would ever change that.

"Well Naruto, I suppose now is a great time to tell you since your already wide awake. Now that your five years old, you can decide if you'd like to start your ninja training." Jiraiya barely got the words out before his Godson was jumping up and down excitedly. He had always been excitable and full of more energy than what you would think, but he knew that this statement was sure to set him off more than normal.

"Now calm down and let me explain some things kid. First, don't expect to do anything big and fancy right off the bat. You're just starting out, and you need to get the basics down more than anything. Secondly, remember that if we ever go through any towns that you aren't to talk about or use anything I teach you. There are some people in this world that simply don't like ninja, and last thing we want is for someone to get the wrong idea." Jiraiya said sternly while Naruto watched him intently, drinking in everything he said. The kid was sharp, he'd give him that. He also knew how to pay close attention when he needed to, the challenge was getting him to calm down.

"Alright grandpa, I can do that! I promise to train as hard as I can and never give up so I can be like you and dad someday!" the young boy stated confidently before running around their campsite some more, excited that he'd finally be able to start learning things from grandpa about being a ninja. He just hoped that he wouldn't let him down if he couldn't do it right away.

"That's good to hear, you'll have to maintain that motivation if you want to be as great as me someday." The toad sage said happily as he started to pack up camp. The two packed everything they'd be bringing with them, had a light breakfast of rice and water, and started on the road again. It had been this way since he had agreed to raise Naruto himself, and although the earlier years weren't always fun, it had been worth it so far. When the kid was younger, Jiraiya would take them into towns and such more often than not due to needing baby supplies and sometimes the advice of a mother if he could find one. They never stayed in one spot very long though, as he didn't want to run the risk of someone recognizing the child as Minato's son. As Naruto grew a little older and asked more questions as to why they traveled so much, the sage had always replied that he would tell him when he was older. This never discouraged they boy though, and he soon grew to love the open road. It was around noon when a town on the western border of the land of fire came into view.

"Alright, since it's your birthday and all, I think we'll stay in that town on the horizon for the day." Jiraiya told Naruto, the young boy smiling widely at the thought. It had been awhile since they had stayed anywhere with people, so it would be a nice change of pace for the duo.

"So grandpa, when am I going to start ninja stuff?" Naruto asked, the smile never leaving his face. He was bursting with excitement, and he hoped he wouldn't have to wait much longer.

"Well, we can start now. Can you tell me what you think a ninja is?" Jiraiya asked, curious as to what the boy's answer would be.

"Hmm.. a ninja is a person that can do all sorts of cool stuff!" the boy yelled excitedly!

"Well, that may be true, but there is more to being a ninja than just doing all sorts of cool things." the sage said. He then began to explain to Naruto about all the different aspects of being a ninja, from chakra to weapons to history to many other things. He talked about the ranking structure of all the different ninja, the differences between ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu, and all the things you could do when you applied the three. Naruto listened intently the entire time, only interrupting him to ask questions every now and then. He had never realized there was so much to being a ninja! This didn't discourage him though, as he was still just as set on being just like his grandpa and his dad. Grandpa had told him about how his dad was the best ninja in his village and how he always did the right thing and stood up for what was right. He had also told him about how his mom was an incredible woman that stood behind her husband through everything. Stories like those had only made him even more excited for the day when he could finally begin training. As Jiraiya talked and Naruto listened, it didn't take long for them to reach the small town they had been heading towards.

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"So kid, what do you want for your birthday?" Jiraiya asked as they walked down the main street. They had wandered aimlessly through the town all day, taking in the sights and just chatting about whatever came to mind. As Naruto thought hard on the question, he noticed a ramen stand right around the corner.

"Grandpa, can I get ramen!?" he asked excitedly. Ever since he first had it last year, he tried to get his grandpa to get him ramen every time they stayed in a town. It was his favorite food in the world and he always ate massive amounts as often as he could.

"That's it? Alright then kid, all the ramen you can eat, on me!" Jiraiya said happily, glad that his Godson was still small enough to not bankrupt his wallet whenever they went out for ramen. As they entered the small place, Naruto could hardly contain himself as he ordered three bowls right away. While they ate, they talked happily about stuff that didn't involve being a ninja, and before they knew it, Naruto had eaten five bowls and was happily full as they headed for a hotel for the night. When they entered the room, they both got ready for the evening.

"Granddad, could you tell me stories about dad?" Naruto asked, knowing that tonight he'd get to hear more stories. It was one of his favorite past times, listening to grandpa's stories.

"Sure! Let me see now... ah! How about some stories about when your dad was still my student. You see, I always knew that he was destined to do great things, even when he was still starting out as a genin. He was always going on about how he would be the next Hokage and that nothing would stop him from achieving that goal. He was always so driven to succeed, nothing could hinder his progress." Jiraiya said, thinking back to a much simpler time when he still called the leaf village home. He then went on about the different missions that he and Minato went on with their team, the many laughs that they had, and the tears that were occasionally shed. Naruto gave him his undivided attention, every word being committed to memory. This continued for quite a while until Naruto eventually fell asleep, weary from the long day they had. Jiraiya tucked him into bed, pulled out his bottle of sake, and had a few drinks while he thought of where things were going. Tomorrow after they had left the town limits, he would begin teaching Naruto the basics. He chuckled as he thought of the head start the kid was getting compared to other kids his age, knowing that Naruto will easily be an excellent shinobi if he stays committed. He thought about the future and when he would finally take him back to the village. He knew that it would be coming up sooner than he thought possible; the sage just hoped that their initial reception wasn't too bad. Smiling, he finished the bottle and went to sleep; knowing that tomorrow was the start of a new adventure.

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**Three Years Later**

"There you go, you're doing excellent kid!" the toad sage said as he watched his Godson practice. It had been three years since the two had started his ninja training, and Naruto was progressing as fast, if not faster than Jiraiya had ever expected. His chakra control and reserves were astonishing for an eight year old, plus he was a pretty swift learner when it came to technique, jutsu, studying, and various other aspects of being a ninja. Every day that they were on the road, they practiced as much as they could, with Sunday being their day of relaxation. At first it took a little while for the kid to get into the groove, but he never once complained or shied away from anything his Godfather and teacher had thrown at him.

"Thanks Sensai, I can feel myself getting better and stronger every day!" Naruto said excitedly as he sat down to take a break. He was currently working on walking up a tree without using his hands, and his progress had been exceptionally fast. He'd been practicing the technique for about two months now, and it was very nearly second nature for him to simply run up a tree without really thinking about it.

"That's good, but don't get cocky yet kid. You've still got a long way to go before you've met my expectations." Jiraiya said, trying to hide the smirk on his face. He knew that his statement would only push his Godson even harder, not discourage him.

"Don't you worry Sensai; I'm nowhere near my limit yet!" Naruto yelled as he ran back up the tree. He knew he was just kidding, but that didn't stop him from wanting to keep pushing even harder. This continued on for most of the day as Naruto went from tree climbing to target practice to practicing some of his ninjutsu. As much as Jiraiya tried, Naruto just couldn't get the hang of making a decent genjutsu. Of course Jiraiya knew why, but the kid wasn't ready to know the truth yet. Minus genjutsu, Naruto was excelling at everything else his Sensai threw at him, his proudest moment being the day he finally mastered the shadow clone jutsu. As the sun began setting, the two set up camp for the evening.

"Ah, I always love sitting around the campfire after a good day of training." Naruto said happily as he sat around the fire with his Grandpa. They had both finished their dinner and were now relaxing, Naruto looking at the stars and Jiraiya drinking his Sake.

"Yeah, don't forget that we're going to spar tomorrow, make sure your taijutsu is up to par." The sage said. He knew that his Godson loved the times when they'd spar, even if he could never hit him. Things had gotten a little more interesting when shadow clones were thrown in the mix, but Naruto could still never hit him. Of course this was completely understandable; he was only an eight year old. The fact alone that he could make shadow clones was incredible, but Jiraiya knew how he had the necessary chakra to do it. Despite people thinking it was a curse, the kid having the Nine-Tail was proving to be more beneficial than anything. Not only did he have a massive amount of chakra compared to kids his age, he could also heal and recover at an incredible pace and had an abundance of stamina.

"I'm so ready; tomorrow I'm finally going to hit you Sensai!" Naruto said excitedly, already planning a strategy on how he was going to finally land a hit on his grandpa.

"I'll believe it when I see it kid. For now though, we should both get some rest." Jiraiya said, retiring to the tent. Naruto was soon to follow, and soon the only sounds that could be heard were those of the two snoring.

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"I've got you now Sensai!" Naruto yelled as he converged on him with two clones. The original had jumped into the air while the clones threw a punch and a kick at Jiraiya's legs and torso. Blocking the clones, the toad sage kicked one, dispelling it, while he side stepped just in time for the original Naruto to land his kick right into the other clone, dispelling that one as well.

"What was that you said?" Jiraiya chuckled as he faced his Godson, who was starting to breathe heavy and sweat. In all honesty, he was doing better than normal, especially when it came to coordinating attacks with his clones, but it still wasn't enough to land any hits on the chuckling Sannin.

"I said I had you!" a clone yelled as he jumped out and grabbed onto a stunned sage, trying to pin his arms to his sides. The original then ran as fast as he could and went to punch his Sensai in the gut, only to punch a log that in turn dispelled the clone that was holding it. With a shocked look on his face, he turned around to see Jiraiya standing behind him with a kunai drawn and aimed at him.

"Good strategy kid, I didn't think you'd hide a clone in hopes to try and hold me down, but always remember that an able bodied opponent may pull a substitution on you." Jiraiya explained to his Godson, who in turn nodded as he walked toward him.

"I'll remember that, but I thought I finally had you that time!" Naruto said, a smile now on his face as the two walked back towards the campsite.

"Ha, that's a good one! I'll admit that your good for your age, but do you know how long it took your dad to beat me in a one on one spar?" the toad sage laughed as he ruffled his godson's hair. In truth, it had taken Minato years to finally beat Jiraiya, and even after that it was a few years after before he could finally do it consistently.

"Yeah, I'll beat you someday Sensai, don't you worry! For now, I guess I'm happy knowing I'm getting even stronger!" the young boy yelled, not deterred at all from his loss today. He hadn't expected to win anyway, and to hear his Grandpa say that he was improving meant the world to him.

"Regardless, we aren't finished training yet kid." Jiraiya said as they got back to camp. True to his word, for the rest of the day they worked on seals and study of seals. While not his favorite thing to work on, his grandpa had reminded him that seals were a crucial part of his studies, as not only was he a seal master, but his father even more so. That in itself was reason enough for Naruto to want to learn how to get good at doing it. Before he knew it though, the sun was already on its descent, and the two prepared for bed. Utterly exhausted, Naruto simply ate and went to bed, tired from the days training. Jiraiya remained awake while he sipped his drink, thinking on the progress Naruto was making. He had already planned when the boy would return to the village, and he felt confident that things would be alright when they finally went back. His only concern was what the idiotic villagers would say when they saw him. The kid wasn't ready to learn the truth about the Nine-Tail, and the last thing he wanted was for some scared civilian to blab about it. Sighing, he went to the tent for the night, thinking that they'd cross that bridge when they came to it.

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**Three Years Later**

The duo stood atop a hill overlooking the biggest village the younger one had ever seen. The younger one was due to turn twelve this coming October, which was only a couple months away. He wore brown shorts, his normal blue sandals, and a long sleeved white v neck shirt with orange and red flame trim along the edges, a massive reddish orange swirl covering the back. His blonde hair was long with his bangs hanging along the sides or his face, the rest spiky and messy. His blue eyes were a brilliant ocean blue, and if you were to look into them, you would see the determination of one who was driven with a huge goal, a dream. Behind him stood his teacher and godfather, sporting his normal red and white clothes, red sandals, red and white headband, and a massive scroll on his back. For him, it had been eleven years since he had laid eyes on this village. For his young student and godson, this would be the first of many times he'd see it. The village had just come into sight, and they both took the time to marvel at its sheer size before continuing on.

"Kid, welcome to the village hidden in the leaves."


	3. Chapter 2

**Of Foxes, Toads, and Ninja**

**A/N: Chapter two is now up and waiting to be read by all! You'll notice that this chapter is much longer than the first two, expect most chapters from now on to be about this length. Also, as much as I would love to be able to update as frequently as I have been, I hate to say that it most likely won't be the case. I'll do my best though to update as quickly as possible, no worries. As always, any feedback you feel like leaving is appreciated, but don't feel obligated to do it. But without further distracting, go ahead and read on! **

Copyright Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own any characters from said franchise. If I did…well I wouldn't be writing on here.

Chapter 2: Return to the Leaf Village

"Jiraiya, is this really where I was born!?" Naruto asked excitedly, not caring how old he was. He had no idea that he had been born in such a huge place! Sure, he had been to several other large towns in their travels, but none had been as big or grand as the village hidden in the leaves. As he looked over the massive expanse of buildings and people, he noticed the huge cliff at the furthest edge of the village from them that had four massive faces carved into it. "Sensai, whose faces are those carved into the cliff side?"

"Ah, you noticed those eh? That's the Hokage monument, each of those faces you see are faces of past and present Hokage from this village. The face on the far right, that's your father." Jiraiya said, his heart swollen with pride and sadness as he looked upon one of the last memories of a student that had been dear to him. If only he was here to show his son around the village for the first time.

"Really? Wow, that's so cool! Someday, my face is going to be up there Sensai, just you wait. I'll be just as good as my dad, if not better!" Naruto said, his determination renewed at the thought of his face on day being carved into the same cliff as his legendary father.

"Kid, nothing would make me prouder than if your face was up there with your fathers, especially since it'd reflect how good my teaching skills are." Jiraiya chuckled as he and Naruto began down the hill towards the main gate. His godson had come a long way from when he started his training, but it would be a long, long time before he'd even be close to being the Hokage.

"Now Naruto, like I told you before, when we walk through the village, there are going to be people that may look at you funny, even cruelly. Just ignore them; they are fools that are living in the past. And before you ask, I can't tell you why, not yet at least. For now, you have to make it through this upcoming year at the academy if you want to become a leaf ninja. You do still want to become a leaf ninja, right?" Jiraiya asked, already knowing the answer.

"Your damn right I still want to be a leaf ninja! What kind of Namikaze would I be if I wasn't a ninja?" Naruto said, still laughing at the idea of him being anything other than a ninja. Just the thought of him trying to be a baker or a fisher sent him into another fit of laughter.

"That's what I want to hear! With that kind of determination in mind, I'm going to go ahead and forewarn you now; many of your classes are going to be boring and repetitive. Your already far ahead of many, if not all kids your age. With that being said, don't get a swelled head! Just because you might be the best that does not mean that you'll act arrogant!" Jiraiya said sternly, driving the point home with lots of hand gestures and added volume. Naruto nodded, knowing that acting like an arrogant bastard would just land him without friends and in poor standing with his teachers. One of the many lessons his godfather taught him more than most was about teamwork, and that it doesn't matter how strong you are individually.

"I understand Sensai; I promise I'll do my best without acting like a jerk. I'm pretty excited to meet some kids my own age to, especially if they want to be ninja like me!" Naruto said excitedly, hoping dearly that he'd make some friends tomorrow when he started his classes. Today, he had to do a simple entry exam, so he and his godfather were on their way to the Hokage's office first. The gate drew close, and he couldn't help but shiver with excitement as he got ready to begin the next step of his adventure.

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"Sensai, all the adults are staring at us something fierce." Naruto whispered quietly to his teacher, trying to ignore the combination of people that were staring in awe and in anger.

"Just ignore them kid, it isn't every day that you see the spitting image of the fourth Hokage and one of the legendary Sannin walking down the street together." Jiraiya said nonchalantly as they walked toward the Hokage tower. Part of what he said was true, but what he failed to mention was that many people that the container of the Nine-Tail was gone forever, never to return. Yet here he was a true spitting image of his father. All Naruto was missing was a leaf head band and a few years to grow, and the resemblance would be perfect.

"If you say so, I just hope it isn't this awkward when I'm in class. Honestly, I don't want people gawking at me the entire time I'm here." Naruto said nervously, not used to so many people to begin with, not to mention the fact that they all had a staring problem. It only seemed to be adults though, so he was hoping that maybe kids that didn't know who he was wouldn't stare so much.

"Don't worry about it. I mean, you want to be Hokage right? Think of this as getting used to the job, you'll be turning heads wherever you go kid. I promise you'll eventually get used to it." Jiraiya said in a matter of fact voice. He was already used to turning heads wherever he went, so for him it was just a matter of looking straight ahead and ignoring people. Luckily, the villagers had the common sense not to say anything with him around. They continued to walk a few more blocks before they finally reached the Hokage's tower. As they entered, the secretary could merely look in awe as she witnessed the entrance of not only Jiraiya of the Sannin, but what appeared to be a young Minato.

"We're here to see the Hokage, let him know that his student has finally come back for a visit." Jiraiya said to the gawking girl while he walked for the stairs, knowing he didn't need permission to go talk to his old Sensai. Knowing him, Sarutobi would in fact be pretty excited to see the two of them again after all this time. As they walked up the stairs, the toad sage looked to see Naruto begin to fidget slightly. "What's wrong kid, you nervous to meet the old man?" he asked, curious as to why his student was suddenly appearing so anxious.

"Sorry Sensai, just nerves getting the better of me. I can't believe it's my first day back in nearly twelve years and I'm already meeting the Hokage. What if he doesn't want to talk to me?" Naruto asked nervously, secretly praying that the Hokage wouldn't simply tell him to go away or just stare at him coldly like many of the other villagers had done.

"Trust me kid, he's going to be pretty excited to see you. I can guarantee that you receive a warmer welcome from him than nearly anybody else in this village." Jiraiya said, knowing that his words had the desired effect on his pupil. Sure enough, he became noticeably calmer, and soon enough they were outside the large double door. After a couple knocks, they heard a kind voice grant them entry.

"Sensai, it's been a long time." Jiraiya said a smile developing as he laid eyes on his old teacher for the first time in a long time. He looked a little older, his hair a little grayer, but he still possessed the same kindness in his eyes that had been there as long as he could remember. He sat in front of them in the flowing white and red robes of the Hokage, his large hat casting a shadow over his face. He smoked a simple wooden pipe as he looked over the two visitors in front of him. A huge smile then covered his face as he stood up to go hug and shake hands with the two of them.

"Jiraiya, I am glad to see that after so many years, you return to your home unharmed. And you, you must be Naruto. You know, you're the spitting image of Minato child." Sarutobi said happily as he greeted the two of them and directed them to their seats. "Now, I assume by your being here that its more than a simple passing through visit?" Sarutobi asked his voice hopeful.

"That's correct Sensai; in fact I'd like to finally set up permanent residence here in the village. It's about time the boy here finally started his ninja career, and I wouldn't mind hanging around for a little while." Jiraiya said happily, the smile never leaving his face. He was more than pleased by the happy reception he had received from his former teacher. Plus he knew that he would be able to finally give Naruto one of the things that he was due.

"Well, if that's the case, then I believe I have an idea in mind. Now to start with, is Naruto ready to take the entry exam that would place him in a fourth year academy class?" the third asked, fairly certain he already knew the answer. If Naruto has truly been under Jiraiya's care all this time, odds are he was more than prepared.

"You bet I'm ready Hokage!" Naruto said proudly, already mentally preparing himself for whatever the old man had in mind for him.

"Very good, now your test is rather simple, but if proves to be too difficult, you'll simply be put in a third year class rather than a fourth year." The Hokage said, a smile on his face as Naruto simply nodded his head, the determination in his eyes impossible to look past. "Already, simply make three clones for me, and I'll deem you fit for a fourth year class."

"What, that's it? Fine, Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto yelled as he made the appropriate hand sign. With a puff a smoke, where one Naruto once stood, there now stood five Naruto's, all of them smirking with a satisfied grin on their faces.

"Well, this is interesting. Not only did you give me one more than what I asked without any trouble at all, it appears that these are not just mere clones, but shadow clones. Now I wonder where he would learn a technique like that." Sarutobi said with a smirk as he looked at Jiraiya, who maintained a straight face the entire time. "It is of no consequence though, you appear more than ready to start class tomorrow!" the Hokage said. In all honesty, he wasn't surprised in the least by the boy's clones as he thought of who his teacher was.

"Well now that that's taken care of, What about where we'll be staying Sensai? I trust that the estate and grounds have been taken care of in our absence?" Jiraiya asked, hoping that luck would be on his side for this. If things were good, then it would be that much easier to help establish themselves here in the village.

"I had a feeling that you'd ask about that. Fortunately for the two of you, I had a gut instinct eleven years ago that you'd be back eventually, so I have in fact made sure that the estate, grounds, and all things owned were kept in good care. So do not worry about not having a place to stay." Sarutobi said as a confused Naruto looked between himself and his godfather.

"Don't ask kid, you'll see what we're talking about soon enough. For now though, we're going to go ahead and take our leave Sensai. It's been a long day and the kid has his first day of class tomorrow." Jiraiya said as he bowed to the Hokage, Naruto following suit and following him out. Sarutobi in turn said his goodbye and took another puff of his pipe as he turned to look out the massive window behind him and gaze out at the village he was in charge of, smiling at the return of two leaf citizens. 'Things may finally be interesting around here' he thought to himself.

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"This is where we'll be living now?" Naruto said excitedly as he looked at the massive grounds that lay in front of him. He was marveling at the sheer size of the estate that lie in front of them, not knowing if this was actually reality or if he was caught in some genjutsu.

"Yep kid, this is the Namikaze estate, and when you turn sixteen, it'll all be yours. For now though, I'll be handling it until your time comes. But enough gawking, let's go inside and check it out! It's been a long time since I've actually been inside, and believe it or not I'm almost as excited as you are, even if I don't show it." Jiraiya said a goofy grin on his face as he thought of the possibilities that came with a place this size. It was only the two of them, so there would be a lot of room for just about anything.

"You don't have to tell me twice, let's go!" Naruto yelled as he opened the gate and ran inside, Jiraiya following him in at a more conserved pace, happy to finally have a place to settle down for a little bit. "Sensai, look at how big the inside is!" Naruto yelled from inside the front door. The main building itself had a massive living room connected to the dining room, and a huge kitchen just inside the front entrance hallway. If you took the stairs in the living room up, you reached a long hallway that had six bedrooms and two bathrooms, all of them elegant with massive four poster beds, sets of shelves and dressers, and a couple even had walk in closets. At the end of the upstairs hallway was a door that took you to the Namikaze library, a collection of literature that rivaled the library in the Hokage's tower. It contained everything from history books to scrolls on jutsu, elements, the great nations, and more.

The grounds themselves were massive. With flowerbeds surrounding the entire estate, there was a medium sized training field in the back, complete with a pond and small patch of dense forest. There was a massive black iron fence that went up around fifteen feet high that circled the entire patch of land, giving the place a look of security and grandeur. All in all, it was all so much to take in; Naruto had a hard time absorbing it all at once.

"Kid, you alright? I think I see the steam coming out your ears you're thinking so hard." Jiraiya said with a chuckle as he noticed the look on his godson's face. He had a mix of emotions flashing across his face, the most prominent ones being happiness and confusion.

"I'll be fine Sensai; I just need some time to take everything in. I had no idea that my family had left us something like this. It's all so…big." Naruto said as he slumped down on one of the couches in the living room, the exhaustion of the day finally catching up with him.

"I know what you mean kid, but I think you'll get used to it. For now, you look tired. Go ahead and go to bed. You've got another long day tomorrow, and don't think that just because you're going to class now that I'll go easy on your training." Jiraiya said with a smirk, knowing that his statement would put some pep in his godson's step.

"Don't you worry; I'd never ask you to go easy on me Sensai. But your right, I am pretty tired. So I'll see you tomorrow morning then?" Naruto asked, pretty sure he already knew the answer.

"Don't worry kid, I'll be here." The toad sage said, waving as his godson went up the stairs to go claim a room. "Hope you sleep good kid, you'll need the energy for tomorrow."

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As the two newcomers walked towards the academy, Naruto couldn't help but feel a little nervous as he approached the place he'd be at for the next year. He knew his worry was probably unnecessary, but he couldn't quite ignore it. His biggest concern was if he would make any friends today. He had made sure he dressed nicer today, wearing brown shorts, a short sleeved white v neck shirt with the orange and red flame trim along the bottom and big reddish orange swirl on the back, and black sandals similar to the ones his godfather wore. His hair looked the same as always, his bangs down with two long streaks framing his face while the rest was in its typical spiky mess.

"Don't worry kid; you're going to be fine. You look great, you know your stuff, and as long as you don't act like a jerk you'll be fine. Just be yourself and you're sure to make friends. If not, then remember it's only the first day and sometimes results aren't immediate. Remember, patience can be a ninja's best weapon sometimes." Jiraiya said, noticing that his godson had looked pretty tense before his little speech. He didn't know what the kid was worried about; he looked the spitting image of his father in his younger days, the only difference being how they dressed. Minato had made friends and been quite the lady killer as a genin, and the toad sage had no doubt that Naruto would be the same. Soon enough, they were at the entrance to the main building.

"Alright, I'll see you after class then." Naruto told Jiraiya as he entered the building. Pushing fear and nervousness aside, he approached the room where he was supposed to go. Opening the door slowly, he sighed in relief as he looked and saw that he was the first person there besides someone who looked to be the teacher writing something on the board. As he tried to sneak to a seat in the back, the man writing on the board turned around and smiled at him.

"Hello there, you must be the new student that the Hokage sent word about. Wow, you really do look just like your father. Anyway, my name is Iruka Umino, but you can just call me Sensai for now. What about you, what's your name?" Iruka said with a smile.

"Hey there Sensai, I'm Naruto Namikaze." Naruto said, a smile forming. So far so good, at least his teacher was nice enough. After the short greeting, Naruto bowed and took a seat in the back of the classroom, now somewhat excited to start class. It wasn't long after before the other students began to arrive. The classroom was full in a matter of minutes, and everyone was talking about how their summers were, with a few students shooting him glances. He didn't pay them any attention as a quiet looking girl took her seat beside him, not noticing who was there until she looked up and made eye contact. With what sounded like a squeak, she tried to hide into her coat, her face suddenly as red as a tomato. Naruto couldn't help but smile at the shy girl, glad he wasn't the only shy one here. She was very pale, but her skin appeared to be completely flawless. Her bluish hair was around shoulder length, and she was wearing black tights with a beige colored jacket. But what Naruto noticed more than anything was this girl's eyes. Her eyes were, at first glance, an off white color. But as he looked closer, he noticed that they had a slight lavender tint to them, making them very unique in his opinion. "Hi there, I'm Naruto Namikaze! What's your name?" he asked the shy girl.

"H-h-hello, my name is h-h-Hinata Hyuuga." She answered somewhat quickly, her face turning even redder as she noticed him looking at her. She had never seen this boy before, but he had the most dazzling blue eyes she had ever seen. Before he could reply though, Iruka called the class to order.

"Good morning class and welcome back for the start of your last year in the academy! Now as I'm sure some of you noticed already, we happen to have a new student in our ranks. So starting with him, we'll go ahead and introduce ourselves. Go ahead and say your name, some things you like, and what your goals are." Iruka said with a smile. He knew none of the children would complain about wasting some class time with introductions.

"Alright, I'm Naruto Namikaze. I like ramen, training, and my godfather Jiraiya. My dream is to one day be Hokage so I can keep the village my dad loved so much safe!" Naruto said his voice filled with pride. At mention of his last name, everybody started whispering amongst themselves. A few of the girls in the classroom started giving him shy looks and winks, hoping to get his attention.

"M-my name is h-Hinata Hyuuga. I like gardening, and my dream is to b-be a s-strong kunoichi for my c-c-clan." Hinata stuttered out before sitting back down, blushing like crazy as Naruto gave her a brilliant smile. She couldn't look at him directly without running the risk of fainting, something she didn't want to do on the first day back. She couldn't help it though, between his dashing blue eyes and perfect blonde hair and clothes to just how fit and handsome he looked, she knew then that this year would be much different.

"Introductions are so troublesome Sensai. But if I have to, I will. My name is Shikamaru Nara. I like to sleep, watch the clouds, and play shogi. My dream is to be an average shinobi, marry an average girl, and have two kids, a girl then a boy." The lazy boy didn't even bother to stand up as he spoke, appearing as if it took to much energy to merely stand. The boy next to him had to put down his chips before introducing himself.

"Hey, my name is Choji Akimichi! I like to eat, and my dream is to someday show that even a pleasantly plump guy like me can be a great shinobi!" the large boy said excitedly before sitting down and grabbing his chips again, earning himself a couple snickers from some stuck up looking girls. One of those stuck up looking girls stood up next after winking at Naruto, causing his face to blush slightly, not used to the attention from girls.

"Well, my name is Ino Yamanaka! I like boys and talking, and my dream is to be the most beautiful kunoichi around!" Ino said with a smile as she tried to flaunt herself as much as possible before sitting down. Watching her antics, the next boy to introduce himself began laughing hard.

"Ha ha ha, now that that's over with, my name is Kiba Inuzuka! I like my dog, Akamaru, and training hard with him! My dream is to be one of the greatest shinobi around, marry a hot ass girl, and grow old with my dog and wife!" Kiba said loudly, earning a glare from Iruka but a few chuckles from the class. As he sat down, a rather stoic looking boy stood up.

"Greetings, my name is Shino Aburame. I like bugs and being outside and my dream is to someday lead my clan as a powerful bug master shinobi." Shino said just loud enough for everybody to hear before taking his seat.

"Finally, my turn! My name is Sakura Haruno! I like a certain someone and the color pink, and my dream is to someday show that a powerful kunoichi can be as beautiful as me." The pink haired girl said loudly as she took her seat next to a boy with black hair and an 'I don't care' look on his face. She stared at him longingly as he stood up for his introduction.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I like getting strong, and my dream is to take down a certain someone." Sasuke said quickly before taking his seat. Naruto couldn't help but notice how nearly every girl in the class appeared to hang on almost every word he said, causing him to chuckle to himself.

After Sasuke, there were more introductions from the other students, but Naruto stopped paying attention as he thought about those that he had paid attention to. He was curious as to why Hinata was so shy, she seemed pretty cute to him. Ino and Sakura seemed kind of bitchy in his opinion, but he couldn't be sure. Shikamaru seemed lazy, Choji a rather avid eater, and Shino very quiet and calculating. Kiba seemed pretty cool, if not a little cocky, and Sasuke had an air about him that said he was good but just didn't care about things like school. All in all, they seemed like an interesting group, but he couldn't be sure yet. As the intro's finally finished, Iruka started class with a lecture about the advantages of different sized squads, something Naruto knew plenty about already from Jiraiya. He could already tell that classroom lectures were going to be really boring, so he simply let his mind wander for the rest of morning lecture, not bothering to listen to a word Iruka said.

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"Hey Hinata, can I sit next to you?" Naruto asked nicely, flashing his normal brilliant smile. She simply nodded as her face turned beat red again, afraid that attempting to talk would overload her brain. Classes in the morning had gone dreadfully slow, especially since Naruto already knew everything Iruka covered and then some. Fortunately, Iruka had announced that this afternoon was devoted to showing the class if anybody had learned anything new over the summer. This made Naruto smile, knowing that now he'd get to see what his classmates were capable of. Lunch had started a little bit ago, and he was trying to start a conversation with the shy girl next to him when the blonde girl sat down and put a hand on his arm, causing Hinata to squeak and Naruto to blush slightly, caught off guard by how forward Ino was.

"Hey there Naruto, how's your first day been so far? What did you think of Iruka's lecture this morning? I thought it was really boring, I almost fell asleep. Oh, Hinata, I didn't see you there! You know, you're really good at staying out of sight, almost like you weren't even there." Ino said, her backhanded comment not quite smooth enough to go unnoticed by Naruto. He wondered what it was all about, but decided to stick up for the shy girl.

"Actually Ino, Hinata here was just making some friendly conversation with me before you rudely interrupted, isn't that right Hinata?" Naruto said, flashing Hinata a look that said 'just go with it'.

"Y-yes, that's right. I-I was telling N-N-Naruto about the v-village." Hinata said in her usual timid voice. She wondered why the cute boy next to her was sticking up for her, but she wasn't going to question it now though.

"Well, that's good and all, but I can show you around the village if you want. All you have to do is meet me after class." Ino said slyly, throwing a wink in for good measure.

"Well, as nice as the offer is, I told my godfather that I'd go straight home after school today. We're still getting settled into the village and new house, so we have some stuff we need to do." Naruto said, only half lying with his excuse. He did tell Jiraiya he'd meet him right after class, but he didn't have anything to do as far as settling in besides start training again, and Ino didn't exactly seem like the kind of girl that could keep up with his training.

"That's too bad, maybe some other time then cutie." Ino said with a smile and wink before walking away, putting a little more sway into her hips than normal. Naruto sighed heavily, knowing he'd have to ask Jiraiya about girl advice later tonight. She was nice enough, but he didn't like the way she tried putting Hinata down almost immediately. Speaking of the shy girl, he turned around to find her looking at him with a look of interest, almost like she was in a daze. Noticing he had turned back around to face her, her face instantly turned a deep red again as she broke eye contact, finding the floor much more interesting.

"So Hinata, are you excited for the afternoon? I for one can't wait to see what you guys can do; I just hope I can keep up." Naruto said excitedly as he tried to start the conversation up again. He found how shy Hinata was interesting, glad that she wasn't loud or stuck up like some of the other girls in the class.

"W-well, I don't r-really like d-doing things in front of t-the entire c-class. I-I'm sure you'll d-do great though." She said shyly, using all her courage to muster up a smile for him. Here he was on his first day somewhere new, and out of everybody in the class, he had wanted to talk to her. She didn't know why, but she wasn't going to question it. For the first time, somebody outside her family had noticed her, and it was a cute boy that not only wants to talk to her, but stood up for her as well. The least she could do is attempt to converse with him, even if she was distracted by his blue eyes, or his tone arms, or his blonde hair that was perfect in its messy state. 'My dream diary is going to get a lot more interesting stuff written in it now' she thought to herself.

"Thanks, I'm sure you'll do great to. Lunch is almost over though, and I want to get out to the field and warm up, so I'll see you out there!" Naruto said with a dazzling smile that caused Hinata to blush intensely again. He still didn't know why, but thought it was cute regardless as we walked out to the field they were supposed to meet at. He failed to notice the longing stares of not just Hinata and Ino, but almost every other girl in the lunch room follow him out.

"I don't get it Sakura, why would he want to sit next to that quiet little mouse and not me!" Ino asked angrily to her best friend/rival. With someone new that had been catching everyone else's eye, the two were pretty friendly towards each other. The blonde girl had just spent the better part of lunch glaring in Hinata's direction while her friends Shikamaru, Choji, and Kiba continued to laugh their asses off. Sakura on the other hand had been wondering the same thing, she just didn't say it. As far as she was concerned, Sasuke was the only guy for her, but she had to admit that this new kid was looking pretty damn good.

"Hell if I know Ino, your obviously way prettier and more outgoing than she ever will be. Maybe you just intimidated the poor guy." Sakura said, trying to come up with an answer that would explain things without hurting her friend's feelings.

"I don't know, I mean now that I look at her and actually notice her, Hinata is pretty cute. She's just so damn quiet all the time. Maybe he's attracted to the shy type." Kiba said in a matter of fact tone, Akamaru barking in agreement with him, which earned the scariest glare he'd ever seen from Ino.

"How troublesome, why can't you just leave the poor guy alone Ino. I swear, girls can be such a drag sometimes." Shikamaru said as he leaned back in his chair, his mind somewhere where he could just watch the clouds all day.

"I kind of agree with Shika, I mean you did go over there and come on kind of strong. You could try a different approach if you really wanted to." Choji said in between mouthfuls of lunch. He could care less what she did, but he usually agreed with Shikamaru, his best friend, just to have an opinion. Only thing he cared about right now was lunch.

"Well if that's the case, then I can act the part of a shy girl to! Just you wait; I will have Naruto by the end of the day!" Ino said as she stared off into the distance, her thoughts in a daze about blue eyes.

"Ha, if that happens, then today will be the day that Sakura actually gets Sasuke!" Kiba said with a chuckle before being set upon by the two now furious girls. Shika and Choji merely watched as their friend was beaten to a pulp right in front of them, not having the courage to interfere with two angry girls.

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"Alright class, settle down now, we're about to get started!" Iruka yelled, signaling the beginning of the lesson. All the students then circled around as they listened to the instructions Iruka said. "Alright, now the goal of this exercise is to merely see if any of you have learned anything over the summer. This does not mean that you should be disappointed if you haven't, it should only be something to motivate you to try hard this year to achieve any goals you have. Now are there any questions before we get started?" Iruka let the question hang for a minute before starting. "Alright, then let's get started!"

"I want to go first! Prepare to be dazzled by mine and Akamaru's awesome ability! Ninja Art: Man Beast Mimicry!" Kiba yelled as Akamaru jumped on top of him. In a puff of smoke, two beast like Kiba's emerged and growled at the entire class. Chuckling at their somewhat frightened reaction, the two went back to normal, a satisfied look on Kiba's face. 'Let's see Sasuke top that' he thought to himself, a small grin on his face.

"That was very good Kiba. Naruto, would you like to go next?" Iruka asked, curious as to what the boy could actually do. He had been studying under the legendary Jiraiya after all.

"Um, sure Sensai. Could you guys give me some room?" Naruto said, gesturing for the class to give him some space. This in turn raised everybody's curiosity, especially Sasuke. 'I wonder what this kid can do' he thought to himself, hoping that maybe there was finally someone in his class that would be a worthwhile opponent. "Alright Sensai, I won't hold back on this one, Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto said loudly as he made the appropriate hand sign. There was a large puff of smoke, and everybody could only stare in awe as the smoke cleared to reveal dozens of Naruto's, all of them with a small smile on their face and a triumphant look in their eyes. Hinata looked around with her Byakugan, unable to hide her look of shock as every single clone had their own chakra network. Sasuke let a smile form as he realized that this new kid might be someone worth talking to after all.

"Naruto, this is incredible! Where did you learn such a powerful jutsu, and how were you able to create so many?" Iruka cried out in shock, knowing that not only was this was a forbidden jutsu, but also that it took a huge supply of chakra to use, let alone master.

"Well, my godfather Jiraiya taught it to me. And as far as the chakra goes, Jiraiya always told me that I'd have a lot more chakra than most people, but he wouldn't say why." Naruto said in a tone that suggested he didn't realize just how impressive his feat actually was. To him, this was just another practice session.

"Regardless, that was very impressive. Continuing on though, who's next?" Iruka said, hoping the kids would still want to volunteer after Naruto's impressive display.

"Wow Naruto, that was so cool! You're so strong, did you know that?" Ino yelled flirtatiously as she ran up and wrapped her arms around his arm.

"Thanks Ino, you're too kind." Naruto said quickly, hoping that he could shake Ino off and find Hinata. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the compliment; he'd just rather talk to the shy Hyuuga girl more than anything. After a couple more thank you's and avoiding a few more giggling girls, he finally managed to find her in the back of the crowd. As soon as she saw him, her face went bright red and she started tapping her two index fingers together, looking at the ground more than anything. "T-that was very i-impressive N-Naruto." She squeaked out as she attempted to make eye contact with the blonde boy. As soon as her eyes met his though, something happened that would later on be known as normal for Hinata and Naruto…she fainted. She had a smile on her face though; her last thoughts were of Naruto catching her in his strong arms before she hit the ground.

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"You should have seen the look on all their faces when I did the shadow clone jutsu. They acted like it was the craziest thing they had ever seen before!" Naruto said happily while he ate dinner with Jiraiya. As soon as class had finished, Naruto had went straight home to tell his godfather about his first day in school. Jiraiya sat there and let the boy speak, drinking it in contently as he saw how happy the boy was. "There was this girl Sensai, Hinata Hyuuga. She was really shy and stuff, but she was honest and sincere as well. I could tell just from her eyes that she was a good person, if she was really quiet." Naruto said as he thought of the girl he considered his friend now.

"Well, a Hyuuga eh, and it seems that you like this girl based on how you described her, am I right?" Jiraiya said, getting a chuckle out of Naruto's reaction. The young boy had in fact turned red at the mention of him liking her.

"Sensai, she's just a friend! Besides, I don't even know if she considers me that. I mean, she probably spoke a total of four sentences to me today. Hell, she even fainted at the end of the day! She's lucky I'm quick on my feet, or she might have gotten a concussion from hitting the ground!" the young boy said, an animated look on his face as he used several hand gestures to accent what he was saying. Jiraiya could only help but laugh inside as he thought of how young love was in the process of forming already, even if his knuckle-head godson couldn't see the signs.

"Alright, I'm sorry I mentioned it kid. No need to get bent out of shape." The toad sage said with a smirk on his face before the two heard a knock at the door. "Wonder who that is." he said as he stood up, Naruto racing towards the door.

"Hey there, your Sasuke right?" Naruto said, the dark haired boy nodding in response.

"Yeah, I'm Sasuke Uchiha. I was wondering if you wanted to come take a walk with me, I wanted to talk to you." Sasuke said in his usual cool guy voice. What most people would interpret as sounding like a jerk though, Naruto noticed what seemed to be like his normal manner of speaking.

"Sure, let me ask Jiraiya first though." Naruto said quickly as he turned around to see Jiraiya behind him already.

"Go ahead; just don't do anything stupid kid." Jiraiya said with a smirk, knowing who the Uchiha boy was as soon as he laid eyes on him. He'd seen more than his fair share of Uchiha's to recognize him by his dark hair and cool disposition.

"Cool, thanks Sensai." Naruto said with a smile as he walked out the door with his fellow classmate, curious as to what he wanted to talk about.

"So Sasuke, what did you want to talk about, and why so late?" Naruto asked as they walked along a small trail behind the house. The sun had nearly set, yet here was this boy wanting to talk to him.

"Well, it had to be so late because I promised my mom that I'd help her with a few things after class. As for what I want to talk about, well I was hoping that we could train together sometime. You seem strong, as much as I hate to admit it. Most of our class is pretty weak, and lately I've felt like I've just been on my own level of skill compared to the rest. I'd never admit it in front of other people, but you might even be as strong as me." Sasuke replied, the words feeling almost forced at the end. Naruto could tell that Sasuke didn't have great people skills, but he was happy that he could possibly have another friend already.

"Sure, I'd love to have someone to train with besides godfather; I can never win against him. Plus, I've never had anybody to practice all the team building stuff that he's taught me over the years. It'd be a nice change of pace, and I bet both of us will get even stronger than ever! Jiraiya always told me that to achieve true strength; you need to learn how to fight for others rather than simply on your own." Naruto said, remembering the words his Sensai had beaten into his head time and time again.

"Yeah, well if it helps me to get stronger, then I'm more than ready to start all this teamwork stuff. I'd better get home though; my mom will start to worry if I'm gone too late." Sasuke said, guilt flashing across his face at the thought of his poor mom worrying about him.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow in class then! After class, come straight here and we can start a new training schedule with godfather!" Naruto said excitedly as the dark haired boy ran off into the night, acknowledging his words with a wave. Little did the two of them know that this was the start of something much greater than mere training as both boys went back to their respective homes. From inside the house, Jiraiya smiled as he watched from a window the conversation that had just occurred. 'The Uchiha and Hyuuga kids are warming up to Naruto, and it's only day one. I guess we got lucky again with our timing' Jiraiya thought to himself.


	4. Chapter 3

**Of Foxes, Toads, and Ninja**

**A/N: So as you can see, here is chapter three. In this chapter, you'll find the first fight scene of the story, something I hope you enjoy. Any kind of feedback you want to give is always appreciated. To answer a couple people's questions about the Uchiha clan, my response is that you'll simply have to wait until later on in the story, everything will be explained in due time. For now though, kick back and enjoy the latest chapter!**

Copyright Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own any characters from said franchise. If I did…well I wouldn't be writing on here.

Chapter 3: I Fight For My Friends

Naruto's first couple weeks in the village had been great so far. Even though he already knew everything Iruka taught the class, he still enjoyed watching all his other classmates answer questions and continue to learn. He sat next to Hinata every day, and on days he got to class first, Hinata even started sitting next to him without fainting when the two made eye contact. She was still shy and could barely say more than bits and pieces of sentences to him, but it never discouraged him from trying to start the conversation. Surprisingly enough, she seemed to talk the most whenever Ino came around, something he was always extremely grateful for. It wasn't that he didn't like Ino, but she talked so damn much, the poor boy could only handle so much in a day.

After class, he and Sasuke would go to the Namikaze estate and train in the back yard with the toad sage for several hours, something the two of them were extremely grateful for since school was boring both of them. They always started with a warm up of pushups, sit ups, crunches, and a few laps around the entire property to get good and loose. Then they would cover everything from ninjutsu to taijutsu to learning how to coordinate attacks based on the boys' strengths and weaknesses. It was quickly apparent that the two could work as a well-oiled machine when they wanted to, given Sasuke being quicker than Naruto, but Naruto possessing more strength. They also came to find out that Sasuke used the fire element, something else that could be combined with Naruto's wind element for devastating effects. At the end of the day, the two would usually share words over a small meal, the bond of friendship developing quickly. The only reason the two didn't hangout as much during school was for the simple fact that since they both had an equally annoying group of fan girls, the two of them hanging out would inevitably lead to one or both of them going insane. After they finished recovering, Sasuke would always head home, leaving Naruto and Jiraiya to do whatever they pleased with their time.

"Sensai, did you see how fast we're getting at hitting you multiple times in a row?!" Naruto asked excitedly while his godfather sighed, thinking of the new bruises he'd have after a rather intense taijutsu session today. The two could barely touch him on their own, but when they worked together, they were getting to be quite the handful for a couple of kids that weren't even genin yet.

"Yeah kid, I saw. Trust me; I'm going to be feeling this one for a little bit. You and the Uchiha kid are learning to work well together, and you're only going to progress even further as you get older." Jiraiya said, knowing his words would fill his godson with pride. Every word he spoke was the truth to; there wasn't a doubt in his mind that the two of them would grow to be excellent ninja.

"Thanks Sensai, that means a lot coming from you. I just wish we could graduate already so we could do something besides this kid nonsense." Naruto said with a chuckle, finding it funny that he was in fact still a kid.

"Kid, someday you're going to wish that you were back to having nothing to do but go to class for a few hours a day when your knee dip in enemy territory, wondering how the hell you got suckered into this job." Jiraiya said, a grin growing on his face as he thought of how true his words were. He and Naruto then went on to share a good laugh before Naruto announced that he was going to bed. Jiraiya waved him goodnight as he broke out the sake, his night long from being over. Sipping his drink, he released a content sigh, thinking about how similar Naruto and his father actually were. He had finally begun to realize that with his current growth spurt into maturity, he started to plan on how he would tell the kid about the fox. 'Eh, looks like another long night of thinking' the toad sage thought to himself.

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"Sensai, a normal genin squad usually consists of three genin that are led by a jonin. The reason in doing this is to make sure that if any unexpected trouble were to come up, the squad would have a much better chance of survival." Naruto answered quickly, Iruka smiling at his correct answer. He didn't call on Naruto very often, and for good reason. The kid already knew everything that could be taught in a classroom lesson, so the only real reason he'd ask him a question was if he looked like he was dozing off. Just as Iruka was about to ask an unsuspecting Shikamaru a pointless question, the bell rang that indicated it was time for lunch.

"Um, N-Naruto, I was w-w-wondering if I-I could ask you something?" Hinata asked shyly as the students filed out of the classroom in their own little groups. He turned around to face her, a dazzling smile on his face as he walked toward the Hyuuga girl. Her face turned a deep red as she looked him in the eyes, those perfect blue eyes that constantly filled her dreams lately. 'Don't get distracted now, you're so close to saying what you need to say' she thought to herself as she mustered up what courage she had. "Naruto, I w-was wondering if y-you wanted to c-come over for d-d-dinner tonight…" Hinata rushed out, the last word barely a whisper. She looked down at the floor as she waited for the cute boy in front of her to shoot her down. She had mentioned him to her father a couple times, and he had originally come up with the idea. Of course, there was no way she was going to disagree with him, especially about something that she found quite favorable. Just as she was about to walk out, Naruto finally opened his mouth to respond.

"Hinata, I'd love to come over!" Naruto said with a huge grin on his face, his mind finally processing what the shy girl in front of him had asked. He wasn't expecting an invitation to her house, especially since he still thought that maybe she didn't like him very much. She was still really quiet around him, but he didn't mind. "I'm sure Jiraiya knows the way to your house, so I'll be there around six! I have to go talk to Sasuke now though, I'll see you tonight!" Naruto said happily, giving Hinata a quick hug before he ran out. The girl only stood there shocked, her face turning a darker shade of red as her mind processed what had just happened. 'He hugged me…He actually hugged me with a smile, like he wanted to' she thought to herself, a smile finally developing as she committed exactly how it felt to memory. For her, the day couldn't have gotten any better as she released the giggle of delight she'd been holding in.

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"So let me get this straight, you and your godfather got invited to the Hyuuga compound for dinner, so you're proposing that we just have an all-day training session Saturday?" Sasuke said, a slight smirk on his face as he thought over what Naruto was proposing. He honestly thought it was a great idea; he just got a little enjoyment over watching his friend wait impatiently for an answer.

"Yeah, I figure it would be a good time to practice everything we normally practice in a week in one day, like smoothing out what we've already started!" Naruto said excitedly, his good mood not declining in the slightest. He honestly wished he would have thought of this idea sooner, he was almost surprised that the thought hadn't come to him until then.

"Alright, I'm game. Maybe you could come by the Uchiha compound tomorrow evening; I'll introduce you to my mother. She's been bugging me about meeting the kid that actually gets along with me. She doesn't realize that most other people in our class are annoying." Sasuke finally answered. He was excited on the inside, but did little to show it besides giving Naruto a bigger smile than he had ever seen the boy give before.

"Great, I can't wait to see the look on Jiraiya's face when we finally beat him tomorrow!" Naruto said, his words making not only him smile widely but Sasuke as well. The two were becoming good friends, something that went noticed by everybody else outside for lunch. Two girls in particular were staring at the blonde and dark haired boys, both girls having a dazed look as they day dreamt about their respective crushes.

"Oh Sakura, look at how cute both of them are! I don't get it, how come shy little Hinata gets all his attention and I'm stuck here…" Ino said dramatically, her pink haired friend shrugging in response.

"I don't know, I just wish Sasuke would notice me like he does him. I mean honestly, Naruto has been here for a couple weeks and already sees Sasuke more than I have my whole life." Sakura said, her comment equally as dramatic as Ino's.

"Sakura, we need to step up our game. I haven't thought of a full proof plan yet, but that's where two heads are better than one." Ino said, a cunning smile spreading across her and Sakura's faces while the two thought of an idea that would land them in their respective crushes arms. The idea of giving up wasn't in either one of their natures, so failure wasn't an option.

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"So Jiraiya, you said you lived in the leaf village before I was born. Did you know the Hyuuga's then?" Naruto asked while the pair walked down the street that would take them to the Hyuuga compound.

"Yeah, I could honestly say that Minato and I were friends with Hiashi Hyuuga, Hinata's father and the current head of the Hyuuga clan. Back in the day, the Hyuuga and the Uchiha were actually two of your father's biggest supporters when he was Hokage, and I met with Hiashi on several occasions whenever I was in the village. It doesn't surprise me that we were invited here, I haven't seen Hiashi since the day you were born." Jiraiya said, reminiscing about memories of the Hyuuga and Minato, one of them being how Hiashi had stood up for Naruto the night he was born. He knew that sometimes they acted stuck up and were real sticklers about tradition, but they were good and honorable people.

"Really, that's so cool! I didn't realize that Hinata's and Sasuke's families were both supporters of my dad! Makes you think about how those two were the first people to be real friendly towards me." Naruto said, a grin on his face as he thought of him, Sasuke, and Hinata as a team someday.

"Yeah, just remember to be extremely respectful and courteous towards every member of the Hyuuga clan tonight. They have strong beliefs about anyone junior showing complete respect towards an elder, and just because you're Minato's son doesn't mean you're an exception." Jiraiya warned the excited kid, the Hyuuga compound coming into sight now. The toad sage couldn't help but laugh at how noticeably nervous his godson was getting the closer they got. He was no Inuzuka, but he could almost smell how nervous he was.

"Godfather do you think I'm dressed alright? I'm not to underdressed or overdressed am I? Man, I hope I don't say anything stupid tonight…" Naruto said quickly before Jiraiya put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, the calming effect almost immediate. In truth, Jiraiya knew that his godson looked fine and not underdressed at all. He wore a pair of khaki pants, black shoes, and a red and orange v neck long sleeve shirt that was more form fitting than his normal school attire. The toad sage knew that he had spent long and hard thinking about what to wear because of a certain Hyuuga girl, but he would never voice that opinion out loud. They walked for a few more minutes in a calm silence before arriving at the front gate where they were let in immediately by two guards that were obviously expecting them. As they arrived at the front door to an impressive main building, they only knocked once before being answered by Hinata, whose face went five shades of red when she saw the Namikaze boy. Said blonde boy blushed slightly himself when he saw the blushing girl. She was wearing a light purple dress that went with her skin tone and eyes perfectly.

"N-Naruto, please c-come inside. I'm so happy y-you could come tonight." Hinata said quietly, a small smile on her face as she attempted to maintain eye contact with him.

"I'm happy to have been invited Hinata! This is my godfather, Jiraiya the toad sage and legendary Sannin." Naruto said with a smile, his godfather bowing slightly to the young girl. The three of them walked inside, being approached by an older Hyuuga that looked like he was related to Hinata.

"Good evening Jiraiya, it certainly has been a long time since we last met. Am I correct in assuming that you are Naruto?" the elder Hyuuga said, his composure never faltering as he spoke to the two of them.

"Hiashi, it has been a long time. The years have certainly been kind to you!" Jiraiya said, a slight chuckle coming from Hiashi before he went back to his straight face.

"Yes Hiashi, my name is Naruto Namikaze, son of Minato Namikaze. I am honored to have been invited to your home." Naruto said, giving the elder Hyuuga a deep bow. He seemed like a good person, if not a little stuffy. With a slight nod, the four of them went into the dining room where a marvelous spread of food awaits them. Also seated was a girl who looked to be around three years younger to Hinata and a boy who was close to their age, maybe slightly older.

"Jiraiya, Naruto, this is my youngest daughter Hanabi and my nephew Neji." Hiashi said, gesturing to the girl and then the boy. The girl had a small smile and giggled when she saw Naruto, while Neji simply stood and bowed slightly before being seated. Hiashi and Hinata took their seats next to Hanabi while Naruto and Jiraiya sat next to Neji.

"So Neji, when did you graduate the academy?" Naruto asked, noticing the leaf head band that the Hyuuga boy wore. Just seeing it made him think about how cool he would look when he finally got his.

"Last year, I was the number one rookie of my class." Neji replied, his voice cold with a hint of arrogance. Naruto could already tell that he might not get along with him, but kept his opinions to himself.

"Really, well it just happens that Naruto here is tied for rookie of the year with the Uchiha boy, isn't that right Naruto?" Jiraiya said, causing Naruto to blush slightly as he looked at the ground.

"It's true; Naruto is r-really strong." Hinata said, not wanting to miss a chance to compliment her secret crush. She blushed slightly as she finished her statement, earning a giggle from her younger sister. Her father looked just as stoic as ever, his composure perfect.

"Well, it's not surprising is it? I mean, the heir to the sharingan and the son of a Hokage are destined to do great things. Achieving a title such as that is expected of two who were born being destined for a life of greatness." Neji replied coldly, this time causing Hiashi to cringe slightly.

"Anyway, how have things been since I left? I'm sure a lot can happen in twelve years." Jiraiya asked Hiashi, trying to change the subject as quickly as possible. He didn't know why, but apparently they had touched a sore spot with the younger Hyuuga, and negative feelings weren't what he wanted tonight.

"Much has changed in the time you have been gone Jiraiya, but I think that now is not the place to be speaking of certain events. But the meal is getting cold, so let us eat." Hiashi said, signaling everyone to go ahead and dig in. The food was good, and Naruto couldn't help but eat a little bit of everything. He and his godfather had been limited in the variety of their food since neither could cook exceptionally well, so the change was one that was happily accepted. While they ate, Hanabi and Hinata talked to each other in hushed whispers with Hinata blushing every so often.

"He is pretty cute; you didn't lie about that sister." Hanabi whispered, causing her older sister to blush.

"Quiet Hanabi, what if he hears you?" Hinata whispered back quickly, afraid of what Naruto would think if he knew that she had been discussing him with her sister. Of course, Hanabi didn't know a fraction of what Hinata actually thought. Hinata had written down her more explicit thoughts in a journal that she kept hidden well. If that journal was discovered, she didn't want to imagine what would happen.

"Don't worry; he looks so absorbed with the food that I doubt he'd notice. So are you going to go talk to him alone later?" She whispered back, giggling at her sister's response.

"I don't think he'd want to, I mean we barely know each other. I don't blame him though, I can hardly talk to him throughout the day with running the risk of fainting, as pathetic as that sounds." Hinata whispered, now slightly ashamed of herself for not having the courage to simply maintain a good conversation with the blonde boy. He was always so nice to her, and she could barely look at him without getting lost in his eyes and fainting.

"Aw, that's so cute! Don't be a scaredy cat big sister; all you have to do is talk to him." Hanabi whispered, hoping that her sister would be courageous enough to at least talk to the boy.

"I-I'll try, I promise." Hinata replied, hoping her resolve would last throughout the night. She'd hate herself if an opportunity presented itself and she didn't take full advantage of it. Dinner continued for another twenty minutes or so before the food was gone and everybody sighed contently.

"Well uncle, thank you for dinner. I believe I'll excuse myself to my quarters for the evening now." Neji said politely as he left the table, glancing coldly at Naruto before he left.

"I suppose if everyone is finished eating then I'll call someone to clean this up. Hanabi, you are excused to your room for tonight. Don't forget that you'll have to be up early for your morning sparring session." Hiashi said, his face maintaining a neutral look as the young girl bowed to her father and left.

"Um, Naruto, I-I was going to go for a walk outside, w-would y-you like to c-come with m-me?" Hinata asked shyly, praying that the blonde boy would want to.

"Sure Hinata, it'd give a chance to let Sensai catch up with your dad too!" Naruto said happily as he stood up, his energy level as strong as ever despite a big meal. Together, the two walked outside while the older men left for Hiashi's private quarters to talk. When they entered, the two took a seat at a table while Jiraiya produced a bottle of sake and two small glasses from inside his robes. Pouring each of them a drink, the two sipped quietly for a few seconds before the toad sage broke the silence.

"Your nephew seems like a nice kid, very polite at least." Jiraiya said, his tone dripping with sarcasm causing Hiashi to sigh.

"He's been so bitter and cold since his father died, he's started thinking that a person's fate is decided from birth. He's come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter what a person does or how hard they work, that fate is unchanging." Hiashi said, sipping his drink afterward. He wished that he could tell his nephew the truth about everything, but he knew that in his current mindset that he would be unwilling to listen to anything he had to say.

"I'm sorry to hear that, such a waste of a fine shinobi. If he put as much energy into training as he did being cold to everyone, he could grow up to be one hell of a ninja. What about Hinata, how has she been?" Jiraiya asked as he poured himself another glass.

"Her training doesn't go like I'd have hoped it would. After her mother passed, her confidence began to crumble. I'm ashamed to admit that I may be partially to blame for that. I started pushing her harder, setting her to a much higher standard and scolding her when she couldn't keep up. The past few weeks she seems to have found her second wind though, she trains with a newfound determination. I wonder why that is, Jiraiya…" Hiashi said as he finished his first drink, giving the toad sage a look that said he knew the reason already.

"What, you look at me like I know the answer. Just because I'm the wise toad sage doesn't mean I know the inner workings of a teenage girl's head." Jiraiya said with a chuckle, knowing exactly why Hinata started training harder.

"Regardless, how go's the boy's training? Is he truly the heir to the Namikaze legacy?" Hiashi asked, curious just how powerful the kid already was. He had felt the child's chakra as soon as he entered the compound, and he knew that a few older Hyuuga had felt and seen it as well. His stores of chakra were massive for a soon to be twelve year old, and anyone that had been there on that night twelve years ago would know exactly why.

"I'll be honest, he's progressing quickly. He's every good piece of his father and then some, and he has a near endless stamina supply due to him being the fox's container. Before you ask though, I haven't told him about the fox or about the real reason his parents aren't here. I'm not sure how he'll react to the information, and I don't want him doing anything drastic." Jiraiya replied, his mind racing with possibilities. Despite the fact that his godson was mature for his age, the toad sage worried that he might do something foolish if he were told to soon.

"Seems that we're both in a predicament of waiting for the right opportunity to bestow knowledge upon those we hold dear. For now though, let us share stories over this bottle, the night is still quite young." Hiashi said, a small smile on his face as he realized that one night of good drink and conversation with an old friend would be perfectly acceptable.

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"So Hinata, what was it like growing up in the village? The thought of being in one place for so long is still a little strange to me, but I like it so far! You and Sasuke are especially worth staying around for a while!" Naruto said happily as the two walked along a small dirt path inside the compound. Hinata was happy it was dark out, knowing her crush would ask her why her face was so red if he could see it. His recent statement had caused her stomach to do flips, and she was glad that she hadn't fainted.

"W-well, the v-village is great. T-here are so many nice people, and I-I've learned a lot from being at the academy. I'm especially happy to know that I make y-you so happy." Hinata said, proud of the fact that she was getting better and better at not stuttering when she talked to Naruto. She had changed a lot since he'd gotten here, especially since it had only been a few weeks.

"Yeah, this village is so big! I didn't even think that anything this big existed until I got here. Jiraiya insisted that if we ever stay in a town that it wasn't for very long, and we never went to big villages like this. Something about not wanting to get separated or recognized, but he never explained it further than that. It never bothered me, I love spending so much time with godfather!" Naruto said happily. The two had found a bench under a tree and had taken a seat, enjoying each other's company while they looked at the night sky.

"Naruto, may I ask you a question?" Hinata asked Naruto, who nodded for the girl to proceed. "How did you get so strong? I mean you're the same age as us and just started the academy, yet you're already at Sasuke's level, if not better." Hinata said, curious as to what his answer would be.

"Honestly Hinata, I'm strong because I fight for those that are precious to me. At first it was just Jiraiya, but now I fight for you, and for Sasuke, and for all our other classmates. I want to be strong to keep others safe." Naruto said, his eyes flashing with determination in the moonlight. Hinata could only watch, mesmerized by what she had just heard. She didn't think that words so noble could come from a mere eleven year old. "Besides, I don't see any reason why someone would get strong just for themselves, who could be that selfish?" Naruto asked no one in particular, the question just hanging in the air.

"Naruto, that was…so motivating, I feel like I could do anything right now." Hinata said, her voice a little louder than normal as she thought of how full of courage she felt at the moment. It was then that she made a promise to herself. 'Naruto, I promise that as long as you fight for others, I will get strong to help fight with you. Maybe someday, I'll be able to fight at your side' Hinata thought to herself, a large smile overtaking her face. Just then, a cold breeze blew in, causing her to shiver involuntarily. She then realized that she remained in just her dress, which wasn't exactly the warmest material. Before she could mention going inside though, Naruto moved across the bench to put his arm around her, warming her instantly.

"You looked cold Hinata, is this alright?" Naruto asked her, hoping he hadn't done anything wrong as she remained quiet for a long minute before leaning into his shoulder, a content sigh escaping her lips.

"No Naruto, this is perfectly fine." Hinata whispered quietly, now not cold but extremely warm and filled with joy. She could have lived in this moment forever, her in his arms as they looked up to the stars, neither one of them having a care in the world.

"Hinata, I'm glad that we're friends." Naruto said, his voice filled with happiness as he thought of just how true his words were. The two of them sat in a calm silence as they stared into the night sky, both of them having a multitude of thoughts running through their minds, all of them good ones.

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"I finally beat you!" Naruto yelled excitedly as he finished his laps moments before the young Uchiha did. Both boys were panting at this point, having gone all out the last lap.

"Don't get used to it Namikaze, you just got lucky is all." Sasuke said, a smile on his face as he realized that despite it being his first and only loss to his blonde friend in a race, he was still having fun. It was a beautiful Saturday morning, nothing but blue skies and warm temperatures.

"You never know might be the start of a new trend." Naruto said as the two boys went over to the patch of forest towards the back of the estate grounds, both eager to get started. Jiraiya had gotten them hooked on tree climbing earlier in the week as a means to practice chakra control, and it had become habit to practice at least a little bit right after warm ups. They both felt that it prepped them for any jutsu practicing they did against the toad sage.

"I think we're getting better at this." Sasuke said as the two continued to walk up the same tree before Naruto lost focus and his footing, plummeting towards the ground.

"Ah, shadow clone jutsu!" the blonde boy yelled as clones appeared and began linking arms, the first one latching onto a tree branch. Just as the original was about to hit the ground, a clone grabbed his arm, catching him inches before he hit the ground.

"That was close, next time don't get distracted you knucklehead!" Sasuke yelled down from a branch towards the top of the tree, the smile on his face impossible to hide. His friend may have had a lot more chakra than him, but he easily had the better chakra control.

"Yeah kid, next time save thoughts of your little girlfriend for some time after training." Jiraiya told his godson jokingly as he appeared in a gust of wind and leaves. His statement had the desired effect as Naruto's face turned bright red in seconds.

"Godfather, she's not my girlfriend! We're just friends and she happens to be a girl! Guys and girls can be friends without dating." Naruto said quickly, hoping that his dark haired friend didn't hear the conversation from his spot in the tree.

"Calm down kid, I'm just busting your balls. No need to get so defensive." Jiraiya said with a chuckle as Sasuke jumped down to meet the two of them.

"What are you getting defensive about Naruto?" Sasuke asked, curious why his friend was supposedly getting defensive with a red face.

"Oh, no reason really, godfather is just making stuff up is all." Naruto said with a nervous chuckle, hoping that the conversation would be dismissed at that point. Fortunately for him, before Sasuke could respond Jiraiya had already started talking.

"Enough chatter now, hope you boys are ready to spar!" the toad sage said with a smile as the two young boys turned to face him, both with their games faces on.

"You're on Jiraiya, let's do it!" Naruto yelled excitedly as the clones that caught him jumped down from the tree, catching the sage off guard. Each on latched onto a different limb, effectively holding him down for a second. "Now Sasuke!" the blonde yelled as he ducked out of the way for Sasuke to deliver a well-aimed kicked at Jiraiya's torso…only to hit a log.

"I see you two are still a cohesive unit, good! This should be fun then!" the toad sage yelled from behind them as he flashed through a few quick hand signs. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" he called out as a ball of fire flew towards the two kids. Fortunately, they were both far enough away to dive out of the way, not knowing that Jiraiya had wanted that. Now that, they were split up, Jiraiya flashed towards the closer of the two, Sasuke. "Prepare to eat dirt kid!" the toad sage yelled as Sasuke turned around to see his opponent charging towards him.

"Throw me, quick!" Naruto yelled to a couple shadow clones that stood nearby. They happily obliged, and soon the original was flying through the air quickly as he had been effectively slingshot towards his teacher. Jiraiya turned just in time to block the kids punch leaving him exposed to a kick from Sasuke that sent him flying upwards.

"Naruto, give me a boost!" Sasuke yelled to the original, who in turn got on his back while Sasuke used his legs as a springboard, flying upwards until he flew parallel with Jiraiya.

"Hey, how'd you get there?" Jiraiya yelled as he blocked a kick aimed at his torso from Sasuke. Little did he know that it had left him open to a punch that set him barreling towards the ground. With a quick flash of hand signs, the ground beneath him suddenly turned into black goo, effectively stopping his fall. Sasuke hadn't seemed to notice yet though as he prepared a last massive downward kick aimed for the toad sage.

"Ha, and the last one, Lion's Barrage!" the Uchiha yelled as he felt his leg meet resistance, followed by a sinking sensation. Looking around, he noticed the ground around him was black goo, and he was sinking into it quickly. Standing on what appeared to be an island of grass in the sea of goo was Jiraiya, a smile on his face. "But when did you have time to do this?" Sasuke asked loudly, trying to think of when he had left him an opening.

"After you punched me, which hurt by the way, I turned my body away from you so you wouldn't see the hand signs I used for Earth Style: Dark Swamp. From there, I just had to cancel the chakra flow surrounding me after I landed, and here we are now." Jiraiya said, chuckling as he noticed that the Uchiha was now buried up to mid chest. Little did he notice that Naruto had used the Shadow Clone Jutsu yet again to effectively make a rope out of his clones that pulled Sasuke out of the swamp.

"Thanks Naruto, I would've been sunk without your help…no pun intended." Sasuke said while Naruto simply sighed at his friend's lame joke. He liked him and all, but his sense of humor needed a lot of work.

"Alright, now that you're free, I've got a plan." Naruto said excitedly before whispering his idea into his friend's ear. Sasuke could only smile as he realized that this might just work.

"Alright, I'll follow your lead." Sasuke said as he turned to face Jiraiya. The toad sage merely stood there, waiting for whatever the two were going to throw at him next. He was surprised that they were doing as good as they were, but he wasn't about to lose to a couple kids, even if they were stronger than most genin already. Suddenly, everything sprang into motion as Sasuke burned through hand signs quick before shouting "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Jiraiya expected as much, jumping in the air only to realize that now a shuriken was flying towards him. He managed to evade it simple enough, only to hear a chuckle come from behind him. Turning as he landed, he saw his godson launch a volley of kunai towards him, the knives coming in from all directions.

"I've got you now!" Naruto yelled triumphantly, thinking that there was no way for him to avoid this one. He was about to be surprised yet again as his godfather skillfully flashed a couple hand signs before something happened.

"Ninja Art: Needle Jizo!" Jiraiya yelled, his hair suddenly surrounding him, expanding, and becoming hard and sharp, effectively stopping all the kunai as soon as they made contact with the white mass. "Nice try, you guys are really learning how to combine efforts and work as a team. I especially liked that bit with the fire and the transformation, a move like that would be pretty effective against most ninja. Just remember who your squaring off against though, I'm the legendary Jiraiya!" Jiraiya said happily, thinking of how good the two were.

"Well legendary Jiraiya, how about you look down before you start bragging?" Naruto yelled before he and Sasuke took off at a sprint towards the toad sage. Said sage looked down, only to find his feet being held by a clone! 'Little bastard must have dug up under me after Uchiha used that fireball jutsu' Jiraiya thought, knowing he had a couple options if he wanted to escape. If this had been a real fight and these were enemy ninja, he would already have escaped. But since these were simply two skilled students of his, he went with the next best thing. Grabbing two handfuls of loose dirt, he threw the dirt in both students' faces, causing them to twist at the last second to avoid being blinded. Unfortunately for them, they didn't have enough time to stop their momentum, leading both of them to slugging each other in the face at top speed.

"Damn it!" was all Naruto could yell out as he hit the ground, his face already beginning to swell from where Sasuke had hit.

"Shit." Sasuke muttered as he stood himself up, his jaw sore from where the blonde had made contact.

"Well, I'd say that I've won this round, young grasshoppers." Jiraiya said before laughing at the angry looks his godson and friend were giving him, something made more humorous by the fact that they each had matching bruises. "Come on, I'll make lunch." the sage said as the three walked back towards the house.


	5. Chapter 4

**Of Foxes, Toads, and Ninja**

**A/N: Chapter four is here, and with it brings some info on our favorite Uchiha. That being said, this chapter is focused on the Uchiha clan itself, so no Hinata or any other students besides Naruto. As always, your feedback, positive or negative, is always welcome around here. Hope you enjoy the latest installation, so go ahead and read on!**

Copyright Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own any characters from said franchise. If I did…well I wouldn't be writing on here.

Chapter 4: The Last Uchiha's

"Man, I really hope this goes away by the time school starts." Naruto said, grimacing as he touched the large bruise that was on his cheek. He and Sasuke were on their way to the Uchiha compound now, having finished the ramen Jiraiya had made for them.

"No kidding, last thing I want is for Sakura to make a big deal out of this." Sasuke said, shivering slightly as he thought of how overdramatic the pink haired girl would be.

"Yeah, I think Ino would go way over the top about something so small. I don't get it, why can't those girls just be calm around us. I don't know about you, but I can honestly say that Ino would be a hundred times better if she just relaxed." Naruto said, his dark haired friend nodding his head in agreement.

"You're telling me, and you haven't been here a month yet. I've been dealing with them for over three years now, and they've just gotten louder and more annoying over the years. I can see why you always sit next to Hinata; she's quiet and doesn't bug you every couple minutes about anything." Sasuke said, noticing the smile on his friend's face at the mention of the Hyuuga girl.

"Yeah, she really is cool. I still wish she wasn't so shy around me, but I've got a gut feeling that she'll grow out of it in time." Naruto replied, his thoughts now of Hinata.

"I'm sure it will come with time. You may not notice it much, but I've noticed a major improvement in her confidence since you've been here." Sasuke said, his blonde friend smiling at the comment. In all honesty, he was a little jealous that he had found a girl that didn't annoy the shit out of either of them, but he would never want to ruin that bond.

"Really, I didn't think I was doing anything major." Naruto said, Sasuke's words still on his mind, giving him a giddy feeling. He had never thought that he would be that important to anyone besides Jiraiya.

"Quit daydreaming knucklehead, we're here." Sasuke said with a chuckle as they walked through the main archway into the Uchiha compound.

"Wow, this place is so big! If you don't mind me asking, where is everybody?" Naruto asked politely, noticing that despite the fact that this compound was large enough for a huge clan, the streets and houses appeared empty. Although impressive, many buildings looked like they had been abandoned for years.

"That's a…touchy subject. Ask my mom, she knows more about what happened than I do." Sasuke replied, his face that of sorrow. Naruto instantly felt guilty for asking, not realizing that the subject drew such powerful emotion from his friend.

"Sasuke, I'm sorry if I talked about something I shouldn't have. I didn't mean to upset you." Naruto replied quickly before his friend cut him off.

"Don't apologize, you had no idea. Just know that if you really want to know and you do ask my mother, she may cry a little bit. Don't let that turn you away though, I wouldn't be warning you if I didn't trust you." Sasuke said, realizing that he truly meant his words. He had sworn that he would never meet somebody that he'd trust after the massacre, but he was now starting to realize that maybe he could open up to Naruto, even if it was a gradual process.

"That means a lot coming from you. I promise that I'll never betray your trust in me, and I never go back on my word, believe it!" Naruto replied, his voice full of passion. His friend acknowledged his words with a smile, finding comfort in the fact that he felt he had made the right choice in trusting him. The two walked in silence the rest of the way until Sasuke stopped in front of what Naruto assumed to be his home. "Well, after you then." Naruto said, following his friend into the house. It wasn't long before a woman came to meet them, immediately apparent that she was Sasuke's mother. She had long dark hair that she let flow down her back, dark eyes that smoldered with emotion, and she wore a simple dark blue dress that held the family crest on both shoulders. She gave her son a quick hug before turning to smile at the blonde boy, a smile that was full of joy.

"You must be Naruto, my name is Mikoto, I'm Sasuke's mother." The older Uchiha said warmly, a large smile adorning her face. "Sasuke has told me much about you, and I for one am glad to hear that my son finally has someone his own age that he wants to spend time with."

"Mom, you make it sound like I'm some cold bastard…" Sasuke muttered to himself, causing Naruto and Mikoto to chuckle.

"Sasuke, hate to break it to you, but you don't like anybody in our class besides me. It sounds like your mom is only speaking the truth." Naruto said, chuckling again as his friend grunted in reply. Sasuke knew the two of them were right; he just didn't want to admit it openly.

"Anyway, I bet you boys are hungry. Was there anything in particular you wanted to eat?" Sasuke's mother asked, her voice so warm and joyful.

"Mom, we'll be fine with whatever you make. You don't need to make anything special." Sasuke replied quickly, not wanting his mother to go out of her way just for them.

"I agree with Sasuke on this one, you don't have to do anything out of the ordinary. I'm grateful for anything that you would decide to make." Naruto said quickly, piggybacking on Sasuke's statement.

"Nonsense, it's not every day that your son brings home a special guest. It's been such a long time since we've had anyone visit, I insist on doing something special." Mikoto replied, giving both boys a stern look before smiling again, the look on her face saying that she had an idea. "I know just the thing, you boys just sit tight." She said before rushing off towards the kitchen, leaving both boys with a confused look on their faces.

"Well, I suppose I can give you a tour of the house while mother makes whatever she's making." Sasuke said with a sigh before heading down a hallway, Naruto following right behind him.

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"Wow Mikoto, this looks amazing!" Naruto said excitedly as he look at the spread that lay before them. There was a fish that had been cooked to perfections, rice; a sauce that looked like it could be drizzled over just about anything, a simple green salad, and a pie. Even Sasuke couldn't help but smile at the food, despite his earlier statement of not wanting anything special.

"Thank you dear, it's been such a long time since I've cooked for anyone besides my son and myself, I'm more than happy to do this." Mikoto said happily as she watched the two boys dig in. It made her the happiest she had been in a long time to see just how happy her son was. He had finally brought a friend over, he was smiling, and he honestly looked happy.

"Mom, are you alright? You look like your about to cry." Sasuke said, hoping that his mom didn't actually cry. He couldn't even think of a reason why she would cry, something that further confused him.

"I'm fine dear; it just makes me so happy to see you smiling again." Mikoto said, forcing herself to keep from crying.

"Mom…you don't need to make a big deal out of it." Sasuke said, slightly embarrassed that his mom was making such a huge deal out of something he didn't think was worth the effort. He looked over to his blonde friend, hoping that maybe he could say something to change the subject. Naruto simply looked back at him, the look in his eyes stating loud and clear that he did have a subject that would stop Mikoto from embarrassing him further. Sasuke simply nodded, realizing that now would be a good time to approach the subject.

"Mikoto, I have a question for you that Sasuke said only you could answer. He told me that the only reason you would answer me is because he trusts me." Naruto said, watching the look on Mikoto's face go from joyful to stern in a matter of seconds.

"You wish to know what happened to the Uchiha clan." The elder Uchiha said, already knowing what the blonde boy's answer would be. She sighed, knowing that this day would come eventually. Naruto simply nodded in response, his eyes glued on her. "Very well, let us begin with a time when this compound was considered the strongest in the leaf."

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"_Sasuke how was your first day of class?" Mikoto asked her youngest son as he walked in the door. Today had been his first day at the academy, and it had been something he was excited about for weeks now._

"_It was alright I guess, not what I expected it to be. Still though, I bet I learn some cool stuff." Sasuke said, a smile on his face. He had already known more than most of the other kids in his class, but he was still happy to meet people his own age._

"_I know you will son. You should go find your brother though; he wanted to see you when you got home." Mikoto said, smiling when she saw the happy look on her son's face when he heard that. With a nod and a wave, he ran out of the house towards him and his brother's normal training spot. He was really excited, so it didn't take him long to get there, his brother already there. _

"_Itachi, I'm here now! Why did you want to see me?" Sasuke asked excitedly, hoping that his brother had time to spend with him. He had been so busy lately between constantly meeting with their father and the Uchiha elders and his missions with the ANBU Black Ops that they hardly spent any time together._

"_Ah, little brother, I'm glad that you could join me. It has been far too long since we've spent any real time together." Itachi said in his normal emotionless voice. He did smile though, something that he reserved for only his mother and Sasuke. Lately, it seemed that they were the only people in the clan that he didn't find utterly pitiful._

"_Itachi, you know that I'll always make time to hang out with you! So did you want to train?" Sasuke said, his body quivering in excitement. He didn't get to train with him often, but he always learned the most from their infrequent sparring sessions._

"_As a matter of fact, that is exactly why I called you out here. We're going to work on not only your skills in taijutsu, but also on how well you can execute the Fireball Jutsu." Itachi said, the two Uchiha's preparing to strike at each other. Itachi looked at Sasuke, seeing the future of the entire clan in his younger brother. He was one of the only Uchiha's that continued to try and better himself, not thinking of himself as almighty simply because of his blood._

"_Alright, get ready to feel the pain!" Sasuke yelled as he charged at his older brother, hoping that he could gain the upper hand early if he attacked him quick enough. As he closed in, Itachi blocked his punch in one swift movement, and the two went at it. In truth, Itachi could have ended the fight as quickly as it started, but he wanted to help his little brother get stronger, not crush his confidence. After a couple hours of Sasuke attempting to land a strike on his older brother, Itachi finally brought it to a halt with one swift grappling movement, pinning Sasuke to the ground._

"_Enough, this spar is over. You have grown strong little brother, but don't let my praise give you the idea that you don't need to continue to develop your body and mind. Come; let us practice the Fireball Jutsu." Itachi said, proud of how much progress his brother had made. He was only eight years old, but he was showing that he was every bit of a genius._

"_Alright, I've been practicing, and I think that I'm finally getting it!" Sasuke said excitedly, his energy still high despite the two hour spar he and his brother just had. He had been practicing his Fireball Jutsu every day since his father had reluctantly taught it to him over the summer. _

"_Good, then give it your all for me, hold nothing back." Itachi said, hoping that his brother could use the jutsu._

"_Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke yelled as he flashed through the hand signs, bringing his right hand up to his mouth before breathing out a massive fireball. The boy engulfed a ten foot patch of dirt before releasing the jutsu, breathing heavily with a satisfied look on his face._

'_He truly is what every Uchiha should strive to be like' Itachi thought to himself, immensely proud of his little brother even if he didn't outwardly show it. "That was very good, now could you do it again?" Itachi asked, a small smile forming on his face as he saw the determined look in his brother's eyes. The two continued out in their training spot until the sun went down, at which time they started back towards the house._

"_So Itachi, are we going to practice like this tomorrow?" Sasuke asked, hopeful that maybe he would get two days in a row with his older brother._

"_I'm sorry little brother, but I have been summoned by the leaf village council to meet with them tomorrow, so I'm afraid that I can't." Itachi said, his voice showing no hint of emotion._

"_Aw, you always have something going on. Can't you tell those old geezers you're busy or something?" Sasuke said, his older brother chuckling in response._

"_I wish it were that easy Sasuke. Unfortunately, we live in a village where talented individuals are called upon to do whatever the council needs. If you wish to be as strong as I am someday, remember that there is always somebody that will demand something from you, whether it is time or something much more difficult to deliver." Itachi said, his voice slightly bitter._

"_Don't worry, nothing is going to stop me from being as strong as you someday, maybe even stronger!" Sasuke said, laughing at how silly the thought was. Not even the elders could match his older brother, let alone him. These thoughts didn't discourage the young Uchiha though, as he had made a promise to himself that he would best his brother someday._

"_This is a good attitude to have, don't lose that fire little brother." Itachi said, thinking that if any Uchiha were to beat him in combat, it would be his little brother. It wouldn't be any time in the near future, but maybe someday. The two continued in silence as they approached the house, their mother meeting them at the door with a smile on her face, the smells of dinner wafting out towards them._

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"_What do you mean you're leaving for some big mission? Big brother, I don't want you to go." Sasuke said to Itachi as he struggled to keep himself from tearing up. Itachi was hardly home as it is, and he had just told him that the council had ordered him to go on a mission that would have him gone for a couple months._

"_I'm sorry Sasuke, but I have been given my orders…"Itachi said, his voice surprisingly sad compared to his normal unemotional speech. Little did his brother know that the mission he had been given was much more than him being away for a few months, but he didn't have the heart to tell him the truth. As much as he wanted his brother to get strong, Itachi couldn't seem to bring himself to harm the only person that was truly precious to him. Sure, he also cared about his mother, but his bond with her was nowhere as deep as it was with his brother._

"_I guess, but that doesn't mean I'm going to like it. Just be careful, and promise me you'll come home as soon as you can!" Sasuke said, trying desperately to make things seem better than they were. _

"_If it makes you feel better, then I promise that I'll come home as soon as I can." Itachi said, the bitterness of his words being that they were the truth, he just didn't know when he would be able to make true on his word._

"_Good! But I'm going to go to bed now so I can be up early to see you before you leave!" Sasuke said, hugging his brother quickly before running to his room, Itachi simply giving his brother a sad smile as he watched him leave, knowing that after tonight he would never see his brother as an innocent child ever again. Cutting off his emotions, Itachi turned his heart to stone as he went to his room to lie in wait for nightfall to come. There, he changed from his normal clothes into his ANBU combat gear, readied what appeared to be a multitude of weaponry, and pulled out a letter, which he tucked safely into his pocket. After what felt like an eternity, the moon was finally full in the night sky as Itachi ghosted out of his room and down the hallway towards his parent's room. He knew what he had to do tonight, a part of him wishing that he could go about it without hurting his mother and dear brother. Of course, the alternative to refusing what he had been ordered was something he had found unbearable to even imagine. What he was doing was the lesser of two evils in his eyes, that being the ideology he would cling to until the end. Soon enough, he entered his parent's bedroom silently, approaching the side of the bed his father slept on. 'Foolish man, you cling to idea's that would have this clan become the laughing stock of the leaf village and all of the elemental nations if you continue to live' Itachi thought to himself as he silently slid his blade through the older Uchiha's heart, killing him instantly. After removing the body from the room into the living area, he returned to wake his mother._

"_Itachi, is that you? What's wrong my son, why aren't you asleep?" Mikoto asked, ashamed of herself as a mother for not being able to read her son. He was always so…distant, something she wished she could change._

"_Yes mother, it is me. I am here not because I can't sleep, but because tonight I am leaving. I cannot tell you all the details for fear that you may come to unnecessary harm, but know that out of the entire clan, you and Sasuke are the only two I hold dear to me, which is why I'm about to do this." Itachi replied before activating a genjutsu that put his mother into a deep sleep. He placed her gently on her bed and before exiting, left the letter he had written the previous night on her bedside table. "Goodnight mother, may you someday forgive me for what I am about to do." Itachi whispered to her sleeping form before ghosting out of the house and into the crisp night air. With a deep breath, he entered the nearest house and began his bloody mission, wanting to be finished and long gone before dawn._

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"_I-Itachi, where did you go?" Mikoto asked no one in particular as she awoke from the genjutsu induced slumber. Looking around, she realized that it was almost dawn while she got out of bed, curious why her husband was up so early. Before leaving, she noticed what appeared to be a letter on her small end table, Itachi's handwriting on the front. She grabbed it slowly before opening it, her eyes growing wider and wider as she read on._

'_Mikoto, my dear mother…I wish that I could tell you about what happened and why I had to leave in person, but I regret to inform you that this was the most desirable way to inform you. Last night, after I placed you into a small genjutsu induced slumber that I imagine broke sometime around dawn, I proceeded to eliminate each and every Uchiha in the compound, with the exception of you and Sasuke. You're asking yourself why, I'm telling you that I did it to keep Sasuke safe. I can't give you the details, only that I was supposed to eliminate you as well. I couldn't bring myself to leave Sasuke without a caretaker though, and you are the only other member of the clan that I believe has the right to remain alive out of all of them. After I finished, I proceeded out of the village and the land of fire entirely, so do not waste your energy following me. As of today, I am a rogue ninja, and therefore I won't be coming back. I wish I were able to keep from hurting you and Sasuke entirely, but alas, this is the lesser of two evils. Please let Sasuke know that he will always be precious to me and that I will always love him, even if he grows to hate me. Also, tell him that the day will come when we will meet again, and that I wish for him to be the strongest he can be when that day does arrive. I regret to inform you that I can't say more, only that I love both of you and that I desire for the two of you to continue with your lives. _

_Mikoto let the tears poor down her face as she read the later, her mind trying desperately to comprehend what she was reading. She would have lay there all day if she didn't hear the sound of Sasuke scream loudly from the living room, snapping her back to reality as she remembered that her youngest son would be awake now. Running out of her bedroom, she walked out to find her son standing in the hallway, paralyzed as he looked at the body of his now dead father._

"_M-Mom, what happened, and where is big brother?" Sasuke asked shakily as he finally gained feeling in his legs and ran towards his mother, the woman snatching him into her arms in a fierce embrace._

"_Oh son, I wish I knew the answer to your questions." Mikoto said, doing her best to keep on a brave face, not having it in her to tell her son what had happened just yet. She would tell him in due time, he had a right to know. But for now, the two only sat there in silence, both confused and saddened by what had happened. _

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"It didn't take long for the village to take care of what happened, doing as much as possible to keep it under wraps during clean up. But eventually word spread, and every major clan in the village soon knew about how the mighty Uchiha clan had been nearly wiped out. Of course, with this came the rumors about how it happened. Only the three of us and Lord Hokage know the truth, and I would appreciate it greatly if it stayed that way." Mikoto said, signifying the end of her tragic story. Tears slid down her face as she tried to maintain her composure. Next to the blonde, Sasuke could only stare at the floor blankly, the dark haired boy just wishing that things could be different.

"Mikoto, Sasuke, I know you probably don't want my pity, but I want both of you to know that you have my deepest condolences." Naruto said, not knowing what else to say to his best friend and his mother. Along with sadness, he held a new sense of pride for his friend at his ability to be able to keep going after such a tragic loss.

"Thank you dear, I know that my son and I appreciate hearing that, even if he won't admit it. It just makes me happy to know that he has a friend he can share his secrets with now. That in itself is enough to give me more than enough strength to continue on as I have been." Mikoto said, a small smile on her face as she talked to the blonde boy.

"Well, it's getting late, and Sensei might get upset if I'm out much longer. It was very nice to meet you Mikoto, and I hope to see you again sometime." Naruto said, giving the kind woman his trademark smile. She in turn smiled back before taking her leave to her room, knowing her son probably had something to say to him before he left.

"Listen, now that you know, I don't want you pitying me or treating me any differently. I'm still me, only now you have the background story." Sasuke said, giving his friend the sternest look he could muster.

"I'm glad you said that, because I wasn't going to treat you any differently regardless of if you told me or not. I do need to get home, I'm going to have to move quick if I want to be on time. I'll see you at school on Monday!" Naruto said as he ran out the door, giving his friend a quick smile and wave before flying off into the night.

'Finally, someone I can really consider a friend' Sasuke thought to himself as he went to bed, a smile on his face. He had been waiting for almost twelve years to find a friend his own age, and he'd be damned if he ruined it now.


	6. Chapter 5

**Of Foxes, Toads, and Ninja**

**A/N: Chapter five is here, bringing with it some filler goodness. I apologize if you were hoping for more story development stuff, I wrote this as a filler chapter to show a day in academy life. Don't get too mad though, the next chapter will continue on with developing the actual plot, and it won't be long before dull academy life is over! As always, any and all feedback is appreciated, and a shout out to the people that have reviewed already, thank you for the support! So go ahead and read on!**

Copyright Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own any characters from said franchise. If I did…well I wouldn't be writing on here.

Chapter 5: Dull Days at the Academy

"This place is so damn boring, I can't wait until we're genin and actually do cool shit, not his baby sit around and talk stuff." Naruto ranted to Sasuke, his dark haired friend nodding his head in agreement. It had been a couple months now since the weekend Mikoto had told Naruto about the truth of the Uchiha clan, and ever since then the two hung out more to the point where the only time they weren't together was when Naruto was with Hinata. Sure, Sasuke had no problem with Hinata, but with both of them being the quiet type, the conversation was never more than a 'hey, how are you' sort of thing.

"Yeah, unfortunately, it's only the beginning of December. Prepare to suffer for another five months." Sasuke said, chuckling at his friend's reaction. He was just as bored and sick of the academy as his friend, but he'd grown used to it in his three and a half years here.

"A-At least it gives you two p-plenty more t-time to be gawked at by Ino and S-Sakura." Hinata said, laughing as the two boys glared at her as menacingly as they could. After she had been invited to Naruto's small birthday party back in October, she had begun to hang out with the two more frequently, occasionally coming to their all day training sessions on Saturdays. She wanted to be as strong as possible for Naruto, and after learning that Sasuke was fine with her joining them, she went as often as possible. Her feelings for Naruto had only grown stronger now that they were together nearly every day, something that Sasuke took great pleasure in teasing her about. In return, she harassed them about their fan girl club that was led by Ino and Sakura.

"Don't remind me, did you know last week Ino tried cornering me in the hallway, something about not giving me a proper birthday present and wanting to make up for it…" Naruto said, shivering at the thought. While Hinata had remained cool on the outside, inside she was furious, wanting nothing more than to beat Ino within an inch of her life for trying something like that on her Naruto!

"Hey Hinata, you alright? You look a little flustered about something." Sasuke said teasingly, causing Hinata to realize that her face had turned extremely red due to how mad she was. She simply nodded in response as she turned away from the two, desperately trying to regain her composure. Sasuke could only help but laugh while Naruto simply looked at the two of them with a confused look on his face. Sasuke had to admit, despite the fact that the blonde was a true genius and was going to be on hell of a ninja, he was so thick when it came to Hinata.

"Hinata, do you need to sit down? I don't want you fainting again." Naruto said quickly as he sat the Hyuuga girl down, putting an arm around her in case she decided to pass out again. He still didn't know why she fainted every now and then around him, but being the good friend he was, he tried his best to make sure she didn't take any nose dives into the ground. Hinata's face shot back to an extremely dark red as she nestled into Naruto's shoulder. Sasuke could only chuckle at the two of them, despite how badly he wanted to say something to her. He wanted Naruto to figure it out on his own, plus stuff like this helped him get a few good laughs throughout the week. While the three of them continued to talk under their favorite tree, they failed to notice the glares they were earning from an extremely frustrated pair of girls across the grounds.

"Damn it Sakura, why does Hinata get to sit there with Naruto's arm around her! I mean honestly, I practically threw myself at him the other day, and he'd still rather waste his time with that quiet little bitch!" Ino said angrily, her friend nodding in agreement.

"I don't get it either, especially the part where Sasuke would rather spend his time with them rather than me! Seriously, I'm starting to think he's gay or something like that!" Sakura said, her frustration obvious in her voice. Her last comment earned a snicker from Kiba, who had been walking by at just the right moment. "What the fuck is so funny Inuzuka!" Sakura yelled loudly at Kiba, causing him to laugh even harder.

"You want to know what's funny. The fact that you two sit here every day and bitch and moan about how unfair it is that you can't get the things you want. You two are like spoiled little kids, not girls that are about to become ninja." Kiba said, instantly regretting his statement as the two girls pounced on him, both trying their hardest to keep from killing him.

"Hey Shika, do you think we should go help him?" Choji asked his best friend while the two watched Kiba get rocked over and over again.

"Nope, he should have known better than to say anything to two of the most troublesome girls I've ever met." Shikamaru replied, leaning back to watch the clouds overhead. 'I bet it's nice being a cloud, not having to deal with pointless things like this' he thought to himself. Choji merely shrugged his shoulders and joined him, the two now ignoring the beating that was going on in front of them.

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"Alright class, settle down now. We're into December now, which means we're halfway through to being finished with the year and you guys being able to become genin. So with that said, we're going to take a little test to see what you know." Iruka said with a smile while the student's simply groaned in response. It didn't take long for the tests to get passed out, and soon the room was quiet while they all slaved away.

"Hey, Hinata, are you finished yet?" Naruto whispered to the girl next to him, her response merely to blush while she shook her head.

"H-How did you finish so quickly?" Hinata asked in return, shocked that he had finished Iruka's decently long test in a little less than fifteen minutes.

"It was easy; this is all stuff that I've covered with Jiraiya I don't know how many times. Do you need any help?" Naruto whispered back, giving her his usual dazzling smile. This in turn caused her to blush even more.

"No, I'm pretty sure I can finish it on my own. Thank you for asking though." Hinata whispered back quickly, not wanting to get caught by Iruka. She was once again in awe of the boy next to her, and it took all her willpower to finish the test and not daydream about him like she normally did. Across the room, Sasuke had just finished with his test when Sakura started her normal fan girl routine.

"Oh wow Sasuke, you're so smart! Maybe we could study together at my house sometime." Sakura said, winking at him when she finished. This in turn caused the boy to simply roll his eyes at her.

"No thanks, I don't think you would get any studying done. Besides, this test was so simple, a child could have finished it this quickly." Sasuke said, hoping the pink haired girl would get the hint that he didn't want to talk to her. He must have been really unlucky though, as she mistook his words for something totally different.

"Oh, I get it, so you're interested in that. Well I promise that I aim to please." Sakura said slyly, thinking that he had wanted to do something physical instead of study.

"Wow…I'm truly shocked at just how thick you really are." Sasuke muttered to himself as he realized what the pink haired girl had been implying. Pretending he didn't hear here, he proceeded to look out the window, desperately trying to tune her out. Kiba and Choji had seen what happened, and proceeded to chuckle to themselves.

"Man, she just got completely shut down. Now I for one would have taken her up on her offer, being the generous soul that I am." Kiba said, causing Choji to laugh even harder. Even Shikamaru, who had been pretending to take a nap, couldn't help but chuckle at how conceded his dog loving friend was.

"Sure Kiba, you going home with Sakura is definitely because you're generous." Choji said jokingly while he munched on some chips. The three of them didn't care at all about the stupid test, something apparent by Choji's snacking, Kiba's joking around, and Shikamaru sleeping.

"What, it's true! I'm being generous with myself by letting that poor girl do whatever she needs to do to me." Kiba said, the three of them laughing out loud now, catching Iruka's eye.

"Excuse me, but not everyone has finished with their test yet. I'd appreciate if you three kept it down before I separate you." Iruka said sternly. The three just nodded in response, still chuckling at Kiba's antics. In the back of the classroom, Shino was merely shaking his head as one of his bugs landed back on his desk, relaying what the boys had been talking about.

'To think, those three are part of great clans of the village, only to waste so much potential' Shino thought as he finished up his test. He had sat next to Ino by accident, only to be surprised at how quiet she was. After observing, he realized that her silence was due to her staring longingly at Naruto. "You know Ino; you haven't even started your test yet." Shino said is his normal, emotionless voice.

"Mind your own business bug boy." Ino replied, not caring about the test in the slightest. She would rather ogle the Namikaze than waste her time on test that she already knew she'd fail. Shino merely shrugged his shoulders at her comment and turned to face the front.

'Oh Naruto, why can't you just see what's right in front of you' Ino asked herself dramatically, continuing to stare at the blonde boy. Hinata had happened to catch sight of her staring, and after a quick whisper to Naruto, she saw him chuckle as he gave Hinata a huge hug. Ino could only glare with murderous intent as he embraced her, Hinata smiling wickedly at her. 'Fuck, you stupid little Hyuuga princess, I'll be seeing you after class today' Ino thought to herself, wishing they weren't taking a test so she could scream out in frustration.

"Hinata, have I ever told you how awesome you are?" Naruto whispered to his dark haired friend excitedly as he saw the look on Ino's face.

"N-No, but you c-can start now if y-you want." Hinata said, blushing like crazy because she not only got to hug him, but because he was now complimenting her.

"It'd be my pleasure, because you really are the coolest girl I know!" Naruto whispered excitedly, glad to see that he was making her noticeably happier by the second.

"Why thank you N-Naruto, that means a lot coming from you." Hinata whispered back, her entire week now made in a few short minutes. She could only imagine how explicit her dreams would end up being tonight, something that made her extremely giddy. Meanwhile, Ino could only glare even colder at the Hyuuga; she was seething with so much jealousy that Shino had to scoot away from her; his bugs were beginning to panic. After another half hour of Ino staring a hole into Hinata and Sakura gazing longingly at Sasuke, Iruka finally called for pencils down, saying that they had the rest of today off.

"Sakura, come with me, now!" Ino nearly yelled as she drug Sakura off, her mind already plotting what she would do to the Hyuuga.

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"Hey Hinata, I'd like to talk to you for a moment." Sakura asked as Hinata passed her in the hallway. The dark haired girl stood there for a moment before turning around, smiling at the pink haired girl as she walked towards her. She didn't have any problem with Sakura personally, but knowing how chummy she and Ino are, she was slightly suspicious.

"Yes Sakura, what do you need?" Hinata asked innocently, curious what the pink haired girl was up to.

"Well, it's about you and Sasuke. I was wondering if maybe you could tell me how you're able to spend so much time with him." Sakura asked, honestly curious about this, even if it was part of the plan.

"Well, if you honestly want to know, then I guess I can tell you the secret." Hinata said, signaling for Sakura to come in close so she could whisper it to her. Caught off guard at how willing she was to share, the girl excitedly leaned in close. Little did she know was that when she was close enough, Hinata activated her Byakugan without her seeing it, instantly seeing Ino getting ready to charge at her. "The secret…is that I know Ino is right there." Hinata whispered before sidestepping quickly, avoiding a water balloon that was filled with paint. Unfortunately for Sakura, she hadn't been as lucky as she took it full force to her chest, effectively covering her in a multitude of colors.

"Damn it, how did you know I was there you bitch?" Ino asked angrily, ignoring the fact that she had effectively covered her best friend in paint.

"Let's just say I have an ace up my sleeve. But why would you do this?" Hinata asked, trying to seem as innocently as possible. She wasn't a very deceptive person, but when it came to her Naruto, she was very protective.

"Don't play that innocent girl routine with me; you know exactly why I'm here. Today, I'm going to teach you a lesson about what happens when you get between me and the boy I love." Ino said dramatically, trying to strike fear into the Hyuuga girl. It was already two versus one, she would be dumb to want to try and fight them.

"Boy you love? You hardly know him, how can you say you love the boy?" Hinata asked, chuckling to herself at how dumb the blonde girl sounded.

"Don't try to make me feel different you little bitch! I don't even know why you waste your time with him anyway, like he'd ever be attracted to a girl like you." Ino said angrily, grinning when she saw her words have an impact on Hinata. Sakura merely stood next to her friend, waiting for what would happen next.

"Ino, you're rude and condescending and I bet you only like Naruto for his looks or his clan name. Me, I've gotten to know the real him, and I would stand beside him through thick and thin. If you think I'm going to simply stand around and let you try to sink your claws into him, think again." Hinata said calmly before dropping into her fighting stance.

"Don't make me laugh; you honestly expect to beat both of us?" Ino said while laughing, Sakura joining her with a halfhearted chuckle. The pink haired girl would fight beside her friend, but she felt guilty about fighting two against one versus a girl that didn't appear very strong at all. Hinata merely stood there, waiting for the two girls to make the first move. They had no idea about all the training she'd been doing for the past two months, by herself and with her two friends. "Well, I guess we'll teach you the hard way." Ino said before charging at the Hyuuga girl, thinking to herself that the fight was already over as Sakura charged in behind her.

"I'm sorry Hinata…" Sakura mumbled to herself as she and Ino closed ground between them and the lone girl. What happened next was so fast and unexpected, she could only stare in shock as Hinata moved swiftly between the two girls and struck at both mid-thigh, her hands right on target. Both aggressors merely staggered as they suddenly lost feeling in the leg that had been hit, staring in Hinata in anger now.

"Have you learned your lesson now? I'd be more than willing to let you both walk away if you admit that you were wrong." Hinata said, her confidence on overdrive as she faced the two girls. She knew that if she faltered at all now, that they would try to take advantage of it. Before either party could make a move though, a pair of boy's walked in on the fight, the blonde one instantly angering as he rushed towards Hinata. The dark haired boy walked calmly towards the group, knowing that his friend was overreacting. One look told him that Hinata had been running the show the entire time.

"Hinata, are you alright? You aren't hurt are you?" Naruto asked quickly as he hugged the Hyuuga before glaring at the other two girls. "Who in the hell do you think you are, attacking my Hinata like that!" Naruto said angrily before realizing how he had worded it. Shaking it off for now, he continued to glare at the two, his anger far from diminishing. "If you would have hurt her at all…" he continued to rant while the two noticed something. His eyes had changed from their normal blue to a blood red color with vertical slits. Their blood chilled as they wondered just who this kid really was. Before he could say anything else though, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him in a caring embrace, something that instantly calmed him down.

"Naruto, calm down. I should be the one apologizing to them, having paralyzed their legs and all." Hinata said, her mind racing as she took in what he had said earlier. 'He called me his Hinata' she thought, her face bright red as she tried, and failed, to hide the silly grin on her face. Naruto turned around to look at her in disbelief before turning back around and looking closely at each girl's legs. Sure enough, the ones that had been hit appeared useless, while the others were trying to support the added weight. "Now, I'm going to restore chakra flow, and then you, me, and Sasuke are just going to go home." Hinata said in a matter of fact voice as she walked over to the two girls, both of them still shocked at what had just happened. They didn't even notice as their legs returned to normal and the three friends left them standing there in the hallway.

"Sakura, what in the hell just happened?" Ino asked, her mind trying to comprehend how things had gone so wrong so quickly.

"What has you confused, you hitting me with the balloon, Hinata making us look like fools, Naruto coming in and calling her his, his eyes fucking changing, or that Sasuke merely watched it all and laughed!" Sakura said, frustrated that what had seemed like a flawless plan had blown up in their faces horribly.

"I'm starting to think that there is more to Naruto than meets the eye, besides the fact that his eyes changing made him look so…hot." Ino said, already seeming to be back to normal. "I mean you have to admit, it made him look so wild, so untamed, so bad." Ino sighed. Even though Sakura was infatuated with Sasuke, even she could admit that despite it being scary in the moment, Naruto had just gotten a lot more attractive in her book.

"Yeah, I guess I can agree with you. I'm going home though; I need to take a long, hot shower." Sakura said, not forgetting that she was still thoroughly covered in paint.

"Yeah, I just want to take a nap and daydream about Mr. hot blonde. It goes without saying that we never speak of this again. If anybody knew that we got our butts handed to us by Hinata of all people, I think I'd die of embarrassment." Ino said with a laugh as she and her friend walked home, Sakura nodding her head in agreement.

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"Well, I'm glad we decided to come find you before you could do any more damage to those two." Sasuke said, chuckling at the day's events.

"Yeah, now that I think about it, I may have overreacted when I charged in there. I hope I didn't scare them too bad." Naruto said with a chuckle, unaware what his eyes had done.

"Oh boys, I wouldn't have hurt them too bad. If I didn't know better, I'd say you actually care about their wellbeing." Hinata said jokingly, both boys sighing in response. "So Naruto, what's all this about me being your Hinata?" the Hyuuga asked, trying to look as innocent as possible. She was going to get as much teasing in as possible while she still had her massive confidence surge.

"Uh, well, I meant it in a way that…what I mean to say is, um…" Naruto said, his face red as he tripped over his words, trying to figure out what he wanted to say. 'What did I mean by that, I mean she's my friend and that's it, right' Naruto asked himself, hoping that he didn't look as confused as he felt.

"Come on Naruto, your never one to be at a loss for words." Sasuke said jokingly, getting his laughs in while he had such an obvious shot at his best friend.

"It's alright Sasuke; I know exactly what he meant." Hinata said, sparing her crush from further embarrassment. 'When he's ready, everything will come out' Hinata thought to herself, perfectly content with waiting until he got his feelings situated.

"Thanks Hinata, I owe you one." Naruto whispered to the dark haired girl as the three walked home, his face only inches from hers when he said it. This in turn caused her face to turn extremely red as her breath caught in her throat.

"Man, you two make it worthwhile to sit bored at the academy every day." Sasuke said as he walked between his two friends, both silently thanking him for walking where he was.

"Well, I'm glad to know that I make not only one, but two people happy by just being around!" Naruto said cheerfully, his normal smile back on his face.

"Oh Naruto, I'm sure you make Ino and all your fan girls happy by just showing up as well." Hinata said, causing Sasuke to laugh loudly and Naruto to sigh. "I don't know why you're laughing Sasuke; you do the same thing for Sakura and your own fan girl club." Hinata chimed in, this time with Naruto chuckling and Sasuke sighing. The teasing was in good fun though, and soon the three of them broke off into their own individual paths leading to their respective compounds.

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"So Sasuke, how was school today?" Mikoto asked her son while the two ate dinner. He had come home in a good mood, so she assumed that something good had happened today.

"Oh, nothing too out of the ordinary really. We took a pointless test, I spent most of the class ignoring Sakura…again, Hinata got attacked by Sakura and Ino, only to wreck both of them, and then Naruto, Hinata and I walked home." Sasuke said, acting like the day's events were no big deal.

"Oh my, is Hinata alright?" Mikoto asked, the mother in her coming out before Sasuke started to chuckle, confusing her.

"Hinata is fine, it's the other two I'd be more worried about." Sasuke said, the grin on his face comforting his mom. He had a gut feeling that there was a lot more to Hinata than what he first thought.

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"So kid, how was your day?" Jiraiya asked his godson while the two of them destroyed cups of ramen. It wasn't the healthiest thing in the world for them, but they had both developed a soft spot for it.

"It was alright I guess. My favorite part was watching Hinata embarrass these two girls after class!" Naruto said excitedly, thinking back to how scared Ino and Sakura looked.

"Really, I find that to be kind of surprising that a Hyuuga would be fighting in school. I think she was instigated into the fight." Jiraiya said, a smirk on his face as he thought of what the two could have said to have the quiet girl come at them.

"Beats me, all I know is that was a great display of what Hinata can do, she's awesome!" Naruto said, his face slightly red. He didn't care though; it was just him and Sensei.

"Well, sounds like you had a good day. Just think, only five more months to go!" Jiraiya said with a chuckle, killing Naruto's mood instantly. He didn't want to imagine five more months of death by boredom.

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"Hinata, how was your day?" Hiashi asked his eldest daughter in his normal, emotionless voice. She had come home in a noticeably cheerful mood, he was curious as to what might have happened.

"My day was good father, nothing major happened." Hinata said, doing her best to look as expressionless as possible. She didn't want to disclose what had happened today with a person that would merely cut down her good mood.

"I see…" Hiashi responded, not being able to pick up any hint of deceit from his daughter physically. 'She's gotten better at hiding her thoughts' Hiashi thought to himself, proud of the progress she had made.

"If that is all, I would like to retire to my quarters now." Hinata said, the only thing on her mind being her blonde crush. If she stayed out here much longer, her smile would break free and instantly blow her cover. Hiashi nodded in response though, and with a quick but deep bow, Hinata walked to her room. After she shut her door, she let the smile and giggle out that she had been holding in since returning home. Pulling out a small journal, she flipped through pages of explicit thoughts about her crush until she found a blank one and began writing. 'I wonder if life gets even better than this' she thought to herself as she wrote, today being one of the best days she'd had since Naruto first came to the village.


	7. Chapter 6

**Of Foxes, Toads, and Ninja**

**A/N: Ah, chapter six is here to join the story, bringing with it the formation of the long awaited team seven, among other teams. The story will begin to pick up from here, so for all you readers that want more fight scenes, I'll be aiming to sate your appetite soon enough. For now though, just find a comfy place to read and read! As always, feedback is not obligated, but is very appreciated in any form.**

Copyright Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own any characters from said franchise. If I did…well I wouldn't be writing on here.

Chapter 6: Enter, Team Seven!

Slowly but surely, days at the academy seemed to simply melt together, a combination of boring classes that Naruto always knew, training sessions after class with his two best friends, Sasuke and Hinata, and spending his down time doing whatever. Days became weeks, weeks melded into months, and before the three of them knew it, graduation day was there. The three had become nearly inseparable, a bond that no one would have expected if you had asked them about it on day one.

While Naruto and Sasuke had both been considered genius' by many already, the one out of the three that had improved the most was Hinata. Not only was she stronger physically from constantly training with her friends and father, her confidence had skyrocketed compared to where it was when she started the academy. Now, she hardly ever stuttered (unless Naruto did something cute around her), she looked everyone in the eyes when she talked to them, and she had become a little more outgoing.

Sasuke had slowly come out of his shell of quiet, now quite talkative when he was with Hinata or Naruto. He and Hinata had developed a bond similar to that of a brother and sister, something that both of them cherished very much. They had even become comfortable enough with each other that Sasuke had told her the truth of the Uchiha clan, and she in turn told him about her feelings for Naruto and just how deep they were. Mikoto had even been seen spending time with Hiashi Hyuuga from time to time, though if you ever asked Hiashi, he'd merely shrug his shoulders.

Naruto had grown a little in his year at the academy, his hair now rivaling that of his father's. Although actual class time had become a joke to him, his training after school and on the weekends had been just as beneficial for him as it was for his two best friends. The only thing that kept him awake during class those last slow weeks were Hinata. The two had grown extremely close, and everybody knew that they would both end up together eventually. Despite it being obvious to everyone else, Naruto still hadn't realized just how deeply Hinata cared for him, assuming that it was just that of a very good friend. She was patient though, knowing it would be worth it in the end.

As for the rest of the students, many of them had remained nearly the same as when the year started. The only ones who had changed noticeably were Kiba, Choji, and Ino. Ino had started to develop her girl parts, something Sakura had become slightly jealous of. Kiba and Choji had started hanging out more on days when Shikamaru was busy or didn't feel like doing anything, and the two had begun a weight training workout to help put on muscle. Both had become a little heavier, though none of the added pounds had been fat. Kiba had also hit puberty, something that thrilled him while annoying the girls in class, with the exception of Hinata. Kiba had tried hitting on her one time before Naruto had him pinned to the wall with multiple shadow clones; politely reminding him that she wasn't just some girl he could hit on whenever he wanted to. Ever since then, Kiba had been nothing but polite towards her.

All in all, every one of them were going to be great genin in their own right, something that Iruka had noticed much earlier in the year. Now, today was the day that all of them had been waiting for, their final exam and the transition from student to ninja.

"Man, I am so ready for whatever this test is going to be." Naruto said impatiently as he, Sasuke and Hinata all sat in their normal spot in the back. Sasuke had begun sitting next to them in class a few months ago after a particularly annoying conversation with Sakura, something he still shivers at to this day.

"Me too, I'm just curious what happens after we get our headbands." Sasuke said, wondering if there was some secret second part to the exam.

"Well, after the exam is conducted and Iruka determines who passes and fails, they break us up into three man squads." Hinata answered, remembering what it had been like for her cousin Neji the year prior.

"Really? Man, how cool would it be if we were together as a squad! We'd be unbeatable, there wouldn't be a challenge we couldn't complete." Naruto said excitedly, his friends nodding their heads in agreement.

"Yeah, on our own we could wreck any combination of these guys. But together, I dare someone to come at us when we're working together." Sasuke said, a grin on his face. Hinata merely sat between her two best friends, hoping that they would be together.

It wasn't long until Iruka finally came into the classroom, and slowly the excited students quieted down, ready to finally finish this last task at hand. "Alright class, I know how excited you are to finish out here, but don't lose your minds just yet. Your final exam is relatively simple for any genin level ninja, so it should be a good test to see if you're actually ready to be called ninja. I want you to line up single file, and one by one, create three clones of yourself." Iruka said, the students quickly lining up.

"Man, he's got to be joking, is this really the final test of our academy time?" Sasuke said, shocked at how simple this task actually was. He could create three clones of himself in his sleep, Hinata had the chakra control to destroy this exam, and Naruto could create shadow clones!

"Maybe there's something else we have to do after we're split into teams. I can't imagine this being the only thing you have to do if you want to be a genin." Naruto said, trying to think outside the box on this one. There would be a lot more genin level ninja if this was it.

"Well, for now, I think we should just focus on the task at hand. Wouldn't want to fail, would you?" Hinata asked her friends jokingly, the two boys chuckling at the thought. The three continued to chat about whatever came to mind until finally they went up, one by one trying to best each other. Hinata made five perfect clones of herself, Sasuke made ten, turning five into copies of Iruka, and finally Naruto made ten shadow clones, turning five into kunai, throwing them, and then having them transform back into solid clones on the other end of the classroom.

"Very good, I expect great things to come from the three of you." Iruka said as he gave each of them their headbands, proud of the now genin that stood in front of him. After the last person came up and failed miserably at making clones, Iruka dismissed the students for lunch. The ones that couldn't make the clones were encouraged to come next year and try again. The students that had been made genin were to meet back in the classroom after lunch to meet their new jonin squad leaders.

"Naruto, I just knew that you'd pass! Maybe we'll be on the same squad; wouldn't that just be the best?" Ino yelled excitedly as she ran up to Naruto, wrapping her arms around him quickly before he had time to react. This didn't sit well with Hinata, who proceeded to pull Ino off of him by her hair before Sasuke carried her away kicking and screaming.

"Sorry Ino, but you shouldn't have just hugged me like that." Naruto said before following his friends out. Stuff like that happened every now and then, and he had gotten used to it. He met his friends outside, finding them sitting in their usual spot.

"You know Hinata, I think you might have actually made Ino cry." Naruto said, surprised to see Hinata chuckle at the statement. Now confused, Naruto simply sat down, Hinata proceeding to wrap her arms around him for a short hug. "Hinata, you seem in a pretty good mood. Glad we all passed?" Naruto asked, enjoying the short hug he shared with her.

"Sure, I'm glad we all passed." Hinata said happily, causing Sasuke to chuckle. Sure, her crush wasn't exactly the sharpest when it came to understanding hidden meanings in statements, but she loved him all the same. Sasuke had caught on though, something he usually did whenever something like her statement was said. She had only told part of the truth when she said it was because they passed, the other half being that she had made that bitch that constantly came onto her Naruto cry.

"Yeah, now we just wait and hope that we're on the same squad." Sasuke said, his cool exterior quite the opposite from inside where he was desperately hoping to be on the same squad as his only two friends. To be stuck on another team with somebody annoying, like Sakura, would be torture.

"Yeah, I couldn't imagine myself being happy stuck on a squad with anybody else, especially Ino." Naruto said, shivering at the thought of being stuck together with the blonde banshee. Thoughts like that scared Hinata more than they did Naruto, she couldn't imagine that blonde having all that time to try and sink her claws into her Naruto.

"Well, we'll just have to stay strong and hope that Iruka made the right choice." Hinata said, trying to stay as calm as her two friends. The rest of their lunch break went by almost silently, though it was a calm silence for the most part. Slowly, all the students that had passed filed back into the classroom, surprised to see all the jonin in the classroom.

"Alright class, listen up for your names as I announce the squads and their captains!" Iruka said after the students took their seats. In sets of three, he began calling out names of students, followed by the name of a jonin. "Alright, team seven will consist of Naruto Namikaze, Sasuke Uchiha, and…Hinata Hyuuga." Sighs of relief came from all three as their last worry was finally gone. "Your jonin team leader will be Kikashi Hatake. You're due to meet him this afternoon." Iruka said, surprising the three genin. Before now, all the squads had met their jonin as soon as they were announced.

"Iruka, why isn't he here now?" Naruto asked, curious why their sensei was the only one who wasn't present.

"Kids, you'll learn that Kikashi is almost never on time to anything." Iruka said, sighing at how true the words were. Kikashi was infamous throughout the village for being late to any meeting, no matter what it was about. Iruka continued announcing teams, the genin leaving as their names were called out. Ino, Kiba, and Shino made up squad eight with Kurenai as their jonin, a ninja that was known for her mastery of genjutsu. Sakura, Shikamaru, and Choji comprised squad ten, with Asuma as their leader, a jonin that was the grandson of the third Hokage and known throughout the village for his smoking habit. It wasn't long before team seven was the only squad still waiting.

"Man, figures we're the last people left. I guess they're just saving the best for last." Naruto said, trying to cheer his friends up. They both let out a chuckle, all of them simply happy to be a squad.

"Yeah, the good thing is that we're together. Besides, I'm sure sensei will show up eventually." Hinata said, Sasuke and Naruto nodding their heads in agreement. The three of them sat in the classroom for the better part of an hour discussing possibilities about what they would be doing first when Kakashi finally appeared in a puff of smoke.

"Sorry I'm late, you wouldn't believe how many old ladies had cats stuck in trees in the village." Kakashi said, his new student's sighing in response. 'So, not only do I have an Uchiha and a Hyuuga, but the last Namikaze as well. He looks just like his father' Kakashi thought to himself as he looked over his new squad. He truly did have a gifted squad, if they know how to work together that is. "Well, now that we're all here, how about we start with some introductions. I'm Kakashi Hatake, I like to read, I dislike many things, and my dreams are none of your business." Kakashi said with a smile (as much as they could tell through his mask).

"That's it? All we learned from that was your name." Sasuke said, voicing what his teammates were thinking. 'Is this guy really a jonin level ninja' he thought to himself.

"Well now, I didn't say how specific the intros needed to be. Anyway, now it's your turn." The jonin replied.

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha. I like to train and hangout with my two best friends, I dislike people that are annoying, and my dreams are private." Sasuke said, the other two genin already knowing what his dreams were.

"I'm Naruto Namikaze! I like to train, hangout with Sasuke and Hinata, and eat all different kinds of ramen, I really don't like annoying girls, and my dream is to become a Hokage that's as good as or better than my father!" Naruto said, his voice bursting with pride.

"I'm Hinata Hyuuga. I enjoy being with my two best friends and getting stronger, I dislike girls that try to throw themselves at boys that obviously aren't interested, and my dream is to be a strong clan leader that protects the weak." Hinata said, Sasuke and Naruto still chuckling at what she had said for disliking.

"Well, I can see that we have some pretty motivated young genin here, good! Now that we're finished up here, I have your first task. You are to meet with me at the training grounds with the wooden poles tomorrow morning at seven o clock sharp. Oh, and don't eat any breakfast, wouldn't want you throwing up on day one." Kakashi said with a chuckle before he disappeared from the room in a similar puff of smoke.

"Alright, we finally get to do something that doesn't involve academy nonsense!" Naruto said excitedly, his friends sharing similar smiles. "I don't think Kakashi knows just how intense we train sometimes, and I always eat breakfast! So I don't know about you guys, but I plan on eating." The blonde said, knowing he'd be damn near useless on an empty stomach.

"Yeah, I think he's made the mistake of underestimating us. I think that tomorrow, we make him regret that decision." Sasuke said, a slightly evil grin on his face.

"Regardless, we should head home. I'm sure our parents are wondering what's taking us so long to get back." Hinata said as the three left the classroom. All three of them were shaking slightly with excitement as they speculated at what they would be doing tomorrow, and even though none of them would admit it, they had all found Kakashi to be a nice change compared to the boredom of academy teachers.

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"Well, nice of you to show up sensei." An annoyed Naruto said as their squad leader finally appeared at the training ground an hour late.

"I would have been here on time, but…" Kakashi started before being cut off by an equally annoyed Sasuke.

"Save it, can we just get started already?" Sasuke said, equally as annoyed as Naruto, though not hiding it as well as Hinata was.

"Ah, the eagerness that comes with being young. You know I have a colleague that would love to see that 'youthful energy' as he calls it." Kakashi said, chuckling when he thought he heard what sounded like a teacher and student yell excitedly from across the village. "Anyway, your task is this. All you have to do is take these bells from me." Kakashi said as he raised two small bells to eye level.

"Well, it seems easy enough. What's the catch?" Sasuke asked, noticing that the jonin seemed calm about the entire thing, not to mention that there were only two bells.

"Ah, thinking outside the box on this one? Well, the catch is that you only have until noon to obtain the bells. When time is up, those who don't have a bell will be tied to those posts and watch me and the others eat our lunch. Oh and by the way, whoever doesn't have a bell will be sent back to the academy." Kakashi said calmly despite the fact that his team's cool composure had just been shot.

"Alright team, huddle up quick." Naruto said as the three genin circled around. "Two bells, three of us, and only a few hours to get said bells. I think that we should focus on you two getting the bells, I'm fine with going back if you guys move on." Naruto said, only to receive dirty looks from both his team mates.

"No way man, nobody is doing anything like that. If it has to be anybody, I'll do it. You and Hinata are going to move on." Sasuke said, knowing that those two being separated would be disaster to both of them.

"Sasuke, stop. You and Naruto are both amazing people that will become amazing ninja. You two go ahead and take the bells, I'll support you any way I can." Hinata said, trying to maintain a straight face as she thought of being separated from her two best friends.

"Enough of this kind of talk!" Naruto yelled as he turned around to face Kakashi, much to the surprise of his squad mates. "Sensei, what kind of cruel game is this? All of us are willing to go back if it means the other two pass this test! Is that your goal, to try and separate us?" Naruto yelled angrily, his eyes going from blue to red in an instant as his anger rose. "We'd all protect each other no matter what, and nothing you say or do can change that! Hell, all three of us will go back to the academy if it means we get to stay a team." Naruto yelled out, the surprised look on Kakashi's face speaking for itself.

'So, these kids understand true strength already' Kakashi thought to himself. "Is this true, would you all go back to the academy just to remain a team?" the jonin asked the other two, curious if it really was a joint decision.

"Your damn right I would. No way would I leave either of these two behind under any circumstance." Sasuke said proudly, stepping forward to stand at Naruto's side.

"I could never leave Sasuke or Naruto, so you may as well stop trying." Hinata said, taking her place between her favorite boys.

"Very well, if that's the route that you choose to take…you pass." Kakashi said calmly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"We passed? Um, could you explain it more sensei?" Naruto asked, all his anger replaced with confusion.

"It was simple really. The test in itself wasn't to see if you could actually obtain the bells, but if you could learn the power of teamwork. You three obviously know how to work as a team already, so I feel it unnecessary to have you waste time. If you like, we can start our first mission today as team seven." Kakashi said, happy that he had finally found a squad of genin that passed his test.

"I think I speak for all of us when I say we'd like that." Sasuke said, unable to contain the smile growing on his face. Hinata squealed in delight before kissing Naruto on the cheek, unable to contain her joy. Naruto simply smiled, taking it all in as he came to the realization that they had made it. They were finally ninja.

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"So kid, how was your first day as a genin?" Jiraiya asked his godson while the two prepared to eat dinner. He had looked to be in a good mood when he got home, so it must have been an alright day.

"It was pretty cool I guess. Sasuke, Hinata, and I are all on the same squad, and our jonin leader is this guy named Kakashi." Naruto said before Jiraiya cut him off.

"Kakashi Hatake is your jonin lead?" Jiraiya asked, his godson nodding his head in confirmation. 'Damn, this is probably the most elite squad of genin this village has seen since my team was still active' the Sannin thought to himself, chuckling at the thought of what this squad would be able to accomplish.

"Can you tell me anything about Kakashi?" Naruto asked, curious as to why his godfather would ask about him.

"I'll only tell you that he's one of the most powerful jonin in all the elemental nations, and that your squad is looking to be one of the best in history as long as you kids keep the attitude you've had so far." Jiraiya said, the blonde's eyes lighting up at his praise.

"Man, it almost seems unfair that we're all on the same squad. I wonder why they did that." Naruto questioned, hoping to get any kind of additional info from his godfather.

'I know exactly why they'd make such a powerful squad, but the kid isn't ready yet' Jiraiya thought to himself, trying to come up with a reasonable excuse quickly. "Well, maybe they just expect your group to achieve great things in the future." The toad sage said, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

"Yeah, well they have a funny way of showing it. We did our first 'mission' today, only to find out that it was more kiddy bullshit made to look nice by calling it a different name." Naruto said, not impressed at all by his team's first assignment.

"Well what did you expect kid, not every mission is glamorous and exciting. You're a brand new genin squad, and despite the fact that your team has the raw talent it does, people will continue to see you as a new squad until proven otherwise. Besides, your mission couldn't have been that bad." Jiraiya said, trying to cheer him up.

"Ha, not that bad is definitely the understatement of the day. The Lord of Fire's fat wife had us chase down her cat, which happened to be quite the angry little bastard. Not only did that damn thing claw Sasuke and I more times than I can count, I had to listen to Hinata tell us about how 'it's just a poor defenseless animal' and 'you should be nicer to the thing'. Well let me tell you, that fucker was far from defenseless, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't get a kick out of turning that thing over to the Fire Lord's wife only for it to be smothered by her hug." Naruto vented, feeling much better now that he had ranted about the day's mission. He sat and watched his godfather laugh hysterically for five minutes or so before he finally calmed down enough to continue the conversation.

"Man kid, I didn't think you had that rough of a time. Still though, every new squad goes through pointless stuff like this in the beginning. Hell, even I had to do stuff like that when I was starting out." Jiraiya said, smiling when he saw his godson laugh.

"No way, the legendary toad sage had to do kiddy bullshit like me?" Naruto asked, not knowing whether to believe him or not.

"No bullshit, I remember having to do pitiful D ranked missions the same as everyone else. But it will pass, like all things do, and before you know it you'll be on to bigger, more exciting things." Jiraiya said, Naruto taking in every word he said. He was hopeful that the moving on part would be sooner rather than later though. "Just remember kid, as long as you remember teamwork and friendship, you guys can overcome anything!" the toad sage said, the blonde letting the words sink in before nodding in agreement.

"Thanks godfather, I feel a lot better now. I still hate cats with a fucking passion though." Naruto said, the two sharing a laugh at his comment. "I'm going to go ahead and practice some seals though before I go to bed. I feel like being able to carry gear in scrolls instead of on our backs will be pretty useful." Naruto said as he left, the toad sage simply nodding in response.

'Kid, you have no idea how useful sealing can be' Jiraiya thought to himself, remembering how useful sealing was when it came to his father's special technique. 'Maybe one day I'll pass on the knowledge, see if he can figure it out'.

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"I can't believe it's been two weeks and still only D ranks! If I have to walk one more dog and rescue one more cat, I can't be held responsible for what I might do!" Naruto said angrily as he and the rest of the team walked into the Hokage tower.

"I agree, I feel like we're wasting our time and talents doing missions better suited to young children, not ninja." Sasuke said, trying to stay as calm as possible. He didn't know how Hinata was able to look so calm when she had told them on multiple occasions how boring these missions were.

"Maybe if we're lucky today will be the day that we get something more challenging." Hinata said, earning nods of approval from her two friends. They had done over twenty D ranks in the two weeks they had been doing missions, something that she prayed didn't go unnoticed by Kakashi. The jonin in question merely shrugged his shoulders, enjoying all the down time he had while his team completed these simple missions.

"Kakashi, please tell us you can get us a better mission! Godfather told me a little about you, so you must have some pull with the Hokage." Naruto said, desperately hoping to get an answer out of him as they stood outside the Hokage's office.

'Well, I guess my reputation precedes me' Kakashi thought to himself, chuckling as they entered the Hokage's office to report in.

"Ah, team seven comes to report in another completed mission I see." Sarutobi said with a smile as they entered his office. He couldn't help but chuckle at the frustrated looks on Naruto's and Sasuke's faces.

"Team seven here, reporting the completion and success of the mission we received earlier today." Kakashi said brightly, his team sighing in response.

"Well, I suppose you'll want another one then." Sarutobi said before the blonde spoke up, effectively cutting him off.

"Hokage, I'm begging you, not another D rank mission! I know we're ready for more than that, just give us a chance." Naruto said quickly, his team mates nodding in agreement, glad that he had voiced the opinion that all three of them were thinking.

"Well, you certainly look able bodied. What do you think Kakashi, is your team ready for something a little more challenging than dog walking?" Sarutobi asked, trying to keep a straight face as he asked the jonin a question he already knew the answer to.

'You just love playing this out, don't you' Kakashi thought to himself with a chuckle, both older ninja already knowing that this team was easily capable of much more difficult missions. "Well, they have only been doing D ranks this entire time. I believe that they can handle something actually requiring thought." Kakashi said, noticing the hopeful looks on all three kids face's at his statement.

"Very well, I believe I have the perfect mission for this capable squad then." Sarutobi said as he looked through the C ranks that were available. He finally pulled one aside from the rest. "Here we are, one that just came in a little while ago. Your new mission is a C rank that will take you to the land of waves!" the Hokage said, all three children smiling widely at their sudden change of luck.

"Thank you, Hokage. What are the details of our mission then?" Hinata asked as politely as possible, not wanting to do anything that would make him change his mind.

"Your mission is simple; you are to protect a bridge builder that is returning home. Excuse me, you can send the client in now." The Hokage said, his last statement directed into a small box, relaying the message to his secretary downstairs. It wasn't long before a man stumbled into the room. The man had tan skin, looked to be in his forties, and reeked of alcohol and sweat.

"So, this is my hotshot team of ninja eh?" the drunken man said before downing another swig of beer. The team sighed, realizing that this might not be as fun as they had originally thought.


	8. Chapter 7

**Of Foxes, Toads, and Ninja**

**A/N: Chapter seven is here, and things should start to get interesting. There's a good fight scene in this story, along with a quick one toward the beginning that I can't really call a fight. Hell, this chapter even has a little NaruHina fluff mixed into it for all you romantic types. For the people that want more NaruHina action, I'll say that it will come in time, you just have to remember that their both only twelve right now. Also, someone asked me about a possible Sasuke Haku thing. All I'm going to say is that I had planned on Haku being a girl already, so you'll have to wait and see. For now though, grab a beverage of choice and read on!**

Copyright Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own any characters from said franchise. If I did…well I wouldn't be writing on here.

Chapter 7: Finally, Some Excitement

"So, my fate rests in the hands of three kids and a man who only uses one eye?" the drunken man asked the Hokage, earning glares from Naruto and Sasuke.

"That is correct. Team seven; this is Tazuna the bridge builder. Your mission is to escort him safely back home to the land of waves." Sarutobi said, trying to speed things along and get the reeking smell of alcohol out of his office.

"Very well, we'll all meet at the main gate to the village in one hour. We can do any introductions along the way." Kakashi said, his squad nodding in response before filing out. Tazuna stood in the doorway for a few moments before stumbling away with a loud, possibly rude grunt.

"Kakashi, I'm putting my faith in you and your squad." Sarutobi said, puffing on his wooden pipe as he stared out the window that was big enough to see the entire village from.

"I don't think we have anything to worry about. It's a simple C rank mission, and this squad in particular has more talent than any I've ever seen as a jonin." Kakashi replied before taking his leave in a puff of smoke.

"We shall see." Sarutobi said quietly as he continued to smoke, curious how this mission would play out.

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It had only been a little over a half hour when Hinata had arrived at the gate, not wanting to stay in her home any longer than she had to. 'I'm going on my first mission outside the village, and I get to do it with Naruto! I wonder if maybe he'll want to cuddle at all if it gets cold' Hinata thought to herself, her daydreams becoming more explicit by the minute before she was snapped out of her stupor by a chuckling Sasuke. She had not only failed to see him coming, but also failed to notice how red her face had become so quickly.

"Damn Hinata, starting the day dreaming already? This mission may very well be interesting after all." Sasuke said teasingly to the Hyuuga, who tried glaring at him but could only laugh.

"What can I say; sometimes I let my imagination get carried away." Hinata said, the two laughing even harder. "In all seriousness though, do you think Naruto would want to cuddle at all if it's cold in the land of waves?" Hinata asked, putting on her serious face as she asked Sasuke on his opinion.

"Honestly, that kid would do anything for you if it meant keeping you comfortable and happy. I still can't believe he hasn't figured out his feelings for you." Sasuke said, chuckling at how dense his friend was when it came to Hinata. Kid was a genius with massive chakra reserves and enough energy to go for days, but ask him about his feelings for the Hyuuga and he was like an idiot child.

"Thanks Sasuke that really does help." Hinata replied gratefully, glad that her friend had faith in things going her way. The two continued to talk about what the mission would be like for another ten minutes or so when Naruto arrived, Tazuna and Kakashi not far behind him.

"Naruto, are you trying to be like Kakashi, coming at the last second." Sasuke said jokingly, Naruto simply smiling at him.

"Very funny, but I was busy doing some last minute preparations. Before you ask, you'll have to wait until we make camp before you can see what it is." Naruto said, smiling at the confused faces his friends wore.

"Well, if we're all here and ready to go, then let's go!" Kakashi said, the group of five heading out the village gates on down the large road that would take them where they needed to go. Naruto and Sasuke had both taken the lead, walking side by side with each other. Hinata had remained close to Tazuna due to how efficient she was in close range combat, and Kakashi hung back a little bit, ultimately observing over everything and ready to react if need be.

"Hey Sasuke, you notice that puddle we just passed?" Naruto whispered to his dark haired friend, who nodded in response. The two turned around, Hinata already nodding that she had noticed, her Byakugan activated.

"On our flanks, go!" Hinata yelled as Naruto and Sasuke turned quickly, throwing a volley of kunai at what had appeared to be trees at first glance. Suddenly, one of the trees became a human that threw himself out of the way quickly, dodging Naruto's knives but running into a smiling Kakashi, who merely dropped him with a well-aimed punch. The second guy hadn't been so lucky, three knives protruding from his torso as he groaned on the ground.

"Holy shit, what the fuck just happened!" Tazuna yelled as suddenly the two boys turned to throw something, only to have two mysterious men appear from nowhere.

"Give me a few minutes and I'll know exactly what was going on." Kakashi said as he drug the two bodies off the road, proceeding to tie them to a stump and wake both of them up. After a few minutes of him doing something, he came back to join the group.

"So Kakashi, who were those two?" Naruto asked, Sasuke and Hinata turning to look at him as well.

"It seems our two friends over there are chunin from the village hidden in the mist. They call themselves the demon brothers, and they said that they had been hired to assassinate our friend over there." Kakashi said, staring coldly at Tazuna. "You knew you were being pursued by ninja, didn't you." the jonin said, the old man sobering up quickly as he nodded in response.

"Before you make your judgment, please hear me out. My nation, the land of waves, is very poor. We used to prosper on sea trade before he came." Tazuna said, his voice turning bitter.

"Who is this man that he could cripple a nation?" Sasuke asked, now more curious than before as to what they were up against.

"His name is Gato, the shipping tycoon. Kakashi, I'm sure you've heard his name before." Tazuna said, the jonin nodding in response before signaling for him to continue. "Well, he came to our country one day, bringing stories of grandeur and prosperity. Needless to say, it didn't take long before he had a monopoly on every method of sea trade, sending us into an economic depression. It was then that we decided to build a bridge to the mainland, thus ridding us of Gato forever. As the bridge neared completion though, the occasional hired thug he normally used had been replaced with ninja, something we have none of." Tazuna said, the three kids now fully engrossed in his story. Kakashi merely stared at him, analyzing his every word.

"If that was the case, then we would have ranked this mission as B or even A ranked, not a C." Kakashi said, although he had a hunch that Tazuna already knew this.

"Like I said before, our country is very poor. It took the unified effort of everyone in the village to come up with the money for a C rank; we had to take the chance." Tazuna replied, Hinata suddenly feeling very bad for the bridge builder.

"This kind of mission is beyond the scope of my team. I will not endanger their lives over something like this." Kakashi said back, causing Naruto and Sasuke to speak up.

"Kakashi, we can handle this! We're ready for something like this, just give us a chance." Sasuke said, not wanting to simply abandon the mission because a few ninja were involved.

"Yeah sensei, we have to see this thing out to the end! I'm not just going to abandon this man because he didn't have the money for a better mission. If we do that, we may as well just hand his country their death certificate." Naruto said, his voice filled with confidence. "How can I say I want to be the Hokage if we were to abandon someone that needed our help?" Naruto asked the jonin. Kakashi merely stood there, thinking long and hard on what they were about to do.

"Very well, if that is what you guys want to do, we'll see this one out. Remember to be cautious from here on in though." Kakashi finally replied, his team lighting up with smiles while Tazuna sighed in relief.

"I owe you one kid, I'd be a dead man walking if you guys left." Tazuna said to Naruto as they continued on their way. Naruto and Hinata had switched spots due to her Byakugan, so Naruto and Tazuna now walked side by side, Kakashi still bringing up the rear.

"I'm still not thrilled that you had to lie, but I'm always ready to help someone less fortunate than myself, and I never go back on my word." Naruto said, a small smile on his face.

"I like your attitude kid. If there were more people like you in this world, my country wouldn't have been crippled by that greedy son of a bitch and we wouldn't be in this mess." Tazuna replied, surprised at how mature the blonde next to him was. 'Kids these days, their growing up a lot younger than they used to' the bridge builder thought to himself.

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"Zabuza, what the fuck man! You told me that your demon brother friends were supposed to get the job done, yet Tazuna is still alive!" a short man yelled as he walked into a room, flanked by two thugs that carried swords on their hips.

"Gato, calm down. They were probably caught off guard by whatever ninja are traveling with the bridge builder now. Don't worry, I'll handle it myself." Zabuza replied to the short man, disgusted with the fact that he was one of the seven swordsmen of the mist and had to take orders from a short, greedy fuck. He needed the money though, and killing was what he did best, so he put up with him.

"Good, because if he gets back and they even come close to finishing that bridge, consider your ass fired!" Gato said, laughing maniacally as he left the room. Zabuza could only glare coldly at the arrogant little man as he walked out, wanting nothing more than to run his sword through the pompous bastard.

"Calm down master, he'll get what he deserves soon enough. For now, let us just push forward with the mission." A young female voice said, appearing in a swirl of cold wind behind the massive swordsman.

"Haku, you always manage to be the voice of reason in these sorts of things." Zabuza said, welcoming his young apprentice.

"I live to serve you, whether it is as a voice or a weapon." Haku said, bowing deeply before taking a seat opposite Zabuza. "The target is on route to wave country, he should be in close proximity by morning. Shall we strike then?" Haku asked, more than willing to wait patiently while her master thought things through.

"As always, you're planning and information is impeccable. For now though, I'm going to proceed alone. As always, you may observe from a distance, but do not interfere unless absolutely necessary. Whoever these ninja are, they took out the demon brothers with ease. They should be a fun fight." Zabuza said, smirking underneath his face wrap. He was hoping for a challenge after all the easy pickings he'd been dealing with.

"As you wish master, I will obey your every command." Haku said with a slight smile, bowing once again to Zabuza.

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"Alright, we'll set up camp here for the night." Kakashi said as the group entered a small clearing that was just off the trail they had been taking. Originally he had wanted to push through the night, but with enemy ninja involved, it was safer to proceed with the sun up.

"Alright, time for the grand unveiling of what I've been practicing!" Naruto said as he pulled out multiple scrolls from his back pack.

"Great surprise, I always wanted paper for my first night on my first important mission." Sasuke said sarcastically, Hinata chuckling along with him. Kakashi however, knew exactly what the scrolls were, especially since Naruto happened to be studying under one of Sannin.

"Very funny Sasuke, but it's more than just paper. Release!" Naruto yelled after a couple quick hand signs. After the smoke cleared, Sasuke and Hinata could only stare in awe at all the supplies that now sat in front of them. After he released a couple more scrolls, the campsite now had tents, food, water, and blankets.

"Wow, Naruto this is so cool, how did you do all this?" Hinata asked, once again in awe of how amazing her crush was.

"Well, godfather taught me how to seal various things into scrolls years ago, so I've had plenty of time to practice. I'm still nowhere near as good as him or my dad are, but I can still do stuff like this with no problems at all." Naruto said, a proud look on his face.

"Very good Naruto, you're very lucky to have someone as versatile as Jiraiya to teach you. I promise you, sealing is one of the most helpful, if not overlooked ninja arts in the world." Kakashi said, once again surprised by just how much potential this squad had.

"Man with something like this, we could travel anywhere! Why on earth wouldn't they teach something like this at the academy?" Sasuke asked, confused as to why a skill that versatile wouldn't be common knowledge.

"Well for starters, I'm betting that most, if not all of your instructors at the academy can't do any decent sealing. Also, it takes an extraordinary amount of practice and precision to be successful at it. The academy doesn't have that kind of time." Kakashi said, Sasuke nodding at the logical reasoning.

"It's all fine and dandy, but how about we make some food and get to sleep for the night." Tazuna said as he set a campfire up, the rest of the group nodding in agreement. It didn't take long for the fire to start up and the food to start cooking. While Tazuna and Kakashi did that, the genin had begun setting the tents up.

"You can feel the temperature starting to drop; I think it might be a cold one tonight." Sasuke said, grinning when he saw how red Hinata's face was.

"Yeah, I'm glad I sealed those blankets, or we might have frozen tonight." Naruto said, smiling as he thought of how prepared he actually was.

"Who knows, maybe we'll have to huddle together to stay warm tonight." Hinata mumbled, hoping that Naruto hadn't heard her comment.

"So Naruto, you only packed the two tents?" Sasuke asked as they set up the last one.

"Yeah, one for Kakashi and the bridge builder, and one for us. Don't worry though Hinata, Sasuke and I can make sure that you have plenty of room." Naruto said, hoping his friend wouldn't think him a perv for wanting to share a tent. Sasuke barely contained his laughter when he saw just how red Hinata's and Naruto's faces had gotten from the subject.

"It's ok Naruto; I don't mind sharing a tent." Hinata replied, trying to be a little more forward and outgoing. Inside her mind was screaming 'oh fuck yes, I finally get to spend the night with my blonde dream', but she wasn't sure just how he'd react to something like that.

"Enough fooling around you three, dinner is ready." Kakashi said, saving Naruto and Hinata both from further embarrassment…for now.

"So Tazuna, will we be taking a boat to get to your home?" Naruto asked in between mouthfuls of food. Hinata and Sasuke both chuckled at his lack of table manners while Kakashi only sighed and continued to eat.

"Yeah, there's a pier about a half a day's journey north of here with a boat made specifically for getting us to wave country quickly and quietly." Tazuna answered, glad that he was so close to being home already. He prayed that the rest of the journey went as uneventful as possible.

"Awesome, I've never been on a boat before!" Naruto said excitedly, the rest of the group chuckling in response.

'There's something about this kid that you can't help but like. It's not surprising he was able to convince his sensei to finish this mission out' the bridge builder thought to himself while the three children talked amongst themselves. He looked over to see the quiet jonin reading to himself, obviously not worried about anything happening tonight. "Well, I'm going to bed. If we're going to be leaving early tomorrow, might as well get as much sleep as I can." Tazuna said as he retired to his and Kakashi's tent.

"That isn't a bad idea; I want to be traveling by the time the sun is up, so we should all get some sleep." Kakashi said, following Tazuna's lead.

"Well, let's go ahead and get ready for bed." Sasuke said while the three of them put the fire out and prepared for bed. Before Naruto and Hinata knew what was going on, Sasuke had claimed his own side of the tent. The two looked blankly at each other before realizing what had happened, both blushing like crazy now.

"Well, you can have the other side Hinata; I'll make sure to stay in the middle." Naruto said quickly, confused as to why he was so nervous. He never got nervous around Hinata because he had no reason to. Hinata merely nodded and smiled before settling in to her section of the tent, Naruto lying in the middle wide awake, trying to figure his emotions out. It wasn't long before he noticed Hinata shivering, realizing soon after that none of the extra blankets were in their tent. 'Please don't get mad at me' Naruto thought to himself as he rolled over, pulling the shivering girl into his arms.

"Thank you Naruto." Hinata whispered, shocking the blonde boy.

"Hinata, you're awake? I'm sorry, it's just you looked cold and there weren't any other blankets and…" Naruto stammered out before Hinata cut him off.

"Naruto, its fine, I wanted this. We should sleep though, don't want to be tired tomorrow in case there are other ninja." Hinata whispered before closing her eyes, pressing her body into Naruto's warm body as she fell asleep with a smile on her face.

'I…I could get used to this' Naruto thought as he started to drift away, satisfied at how right it felt to hold the Hyuuga in his arms. Slowly but surely, things were starting to become clearer to him as he finally fell asleep, the only sounds were the quiet ones of the three friends breathing.

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"You two looked awfully comfortable this morning." Sasuke said jokingly as the three genin walked slightly ahead of Kakashi and Tazuna. After they were awake, ate breakfast and packed up camp, the jonin had told them that this is how they would be traveling until they reached wave country.

"I don't know about Hinata, but I slept great!" Naruto said, noting to himself that last night had been the most peaceful he'd ever slept.

"After I warmed up, I was very comfortable Sasuke, thank you for asking." Hinata said sarcastically, causing Sasuke to chuckle to himself. The three all wore smiles as they continued down the path, only stopping when they hit a particularly thick patch of fog.

"Hinata, use your Byakugan to look ahead. This may be a trap." Kakashi said, Hinata nodding as she activated her bloodline. He wasn't as shocked as the others when she shook her head, not being able to discern anything through the dense, unnatural fog.

"Well, this is definitely a surprise. When I heard the old man had hired ninja to protect him, I wasn't expecting the mighty Kakashi Hatake to be with him." A low voice said from somewhere in the mist before a massive sword came flying out towards the team.

"Get down!" Hinata called out as the group hit the floor, turning around to see the sword embedded in a tree with a massive ninja standing on it.

'Shit, not him' Kakashi thought to himself as he stood up to face the man in front of them. "Well, out of all the reasons why this fog was here, I was hoping that you weren't it, Zabuza Momochi." the jonin said, hoping that his team had the sense to protect the bridge builder.

"Well, I'm honored that such a legendary ninja would know little old me's name. You however, are known far and wide as the ninja to copy a thousand jutsu, Kakashi Hatake, the copy ninja." Zabuza said coolly, excited that he'd actually have a challenge in front of him and not just some cut rate chunin.

"Team, protect the bridge builder and leave this fight to me." Kakashi ordered, the three genin assuming defensive stances around Tazuna, who was frozen in fear. 'Didn't think I'd have to use this on this mission' Kakashi thought as he lifted his headband to reveal a bright red eye with three dots around the pupil. Zabuza merely chuckled as he took the sight in.

"Well, I am in for a treat; I get to see the sharingan right away." Zabuza said as he took a step to the ground, prying his sword free from the tree as he did so.

"Sharingan, but that's impossible! The sharingan is the Uchiha kekkai genkai, how do you have it?" Sasuke asked Kakashi, now more confused than ever.

"Maybe you'll hear the story some other time. For now, focus on keeping Tazuna safe. This is a life or death situation, so don't let your guard down for a second." Kakashi said, his eyes staying fixed on Zabuza the whole time.

"Such courageous words, it's almost a shame that I have to cut you down to get my mark. I'll give you the option to leave now if you like, I'm only here for the bridge builder." Zabuza said, wondering if the fight was avoidable.

"Dream on psycho, there's no way we're abandoning him now! You'll have to go through us to get to him!" Naruto yelled out, Sasuke and Hinata nodding in agreement.

"Well, if you insist, who am I to refuse." Zabuza said before disappearing into the mist, his laughter echoing throughout the fog.

"Watch out, Zabuza is a master of the silent killing technique! Let your guard down for a second and you're finished!" Kakashi called out, the genin simply nodding in response. Hinata had her Byakugan activated, welcoming the extra angles of vision despite the limited distance. Even though she was in front of Tazuna in her gentle fist stance, she was able to see all the way around the group until about a meter and a half outwards.

"So many vital spots I can hit you at, I just can't decide how to do you in. You should consider me merciful; I'll make your deaths quick." Zabuza said from somewhere in the mist, his chuckling filling the entire area with a chilling echo. In a flash, Sasuke and Naruto felt a presence behind them. Hinata however, had seen him as he moved into her Byakugan's line of sight, reacting quickly and slashing at his torso with a kunai while Kakashi drilled him in the forehead with a well-aimed kunai. Tazuna could only watch in horror as a figure suddenly appeared in front of him before being cut down. The victory was short lived however, as the body burst into water.

'A water clone eh, then where's the real one' Kakashi asked himself as he watched the body become a puddle at the genin's feet. "Good job Hinata, but don't let your guard down yet. As you can see, it was merely a clone, which means the original is out there somewhere." Kakashi said as he turned around, only to open his eyes in shock as he felt the sword go through his torso.

"Kakashi!" Naruto and Sasuke yelled out while Hinata and Tazuna merely watched in horror as they saw their leader get neatly sliced in two by the massive ninja. What they failed to notice was the two halves suddenly burst into water while a kunai was pressed to Zabuza's throat from behind him.

"Interesting, you managed to copy my jutsu right under my nose and then fool me with it. Nothing less than what I expected from the copy ninja." Zabuza said, not wanting to make any sudden moves as he felt the kunai press to his throat. "Well, aren't you going to finish it?" the mist jonin asked, curious what Kakashi was planning.

"I would, if you were the real Zabuza." Kakashi said calmly as the Zabuza he had ambushed turned to a puddle of water, only for the real to appear out of the mist and kick Kakashi into the pond they were standing by. Flying after the leaf jonin with incredible speed, he came up next to him and made a series of hand signs almost too fast to follow. "Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu!" Zabuza called out as the water around Kakashi suddenly solidified around him, encasing him in a small globe of water.

"Damn it, Kakashi are you alright?" Naruto called out as he watched his teacher become trapped in the water.

"I'm fine, just leave now with the bridge builder and get to the land of waves! He has to stay here to maintain the jutsu, and any clones he creates can only travel so far from the original!" Kakashi yelled out, hoping that his stubborn team would listen to him.

"We won't leave you sensei, so don't waste your breath." Sasuke said as he prepared to charge the mist ninja. Naruto put a hand on his shoulder though, holding him back enough so he could relay a plan to him.

"Looks like they want to stay and play Kakashi, how about I give them a good playmate." Zabuza said menacingly before creating another water clone.

"Hinata, stay near Tazuna in case that clone disappears into the mist. You're the only one that has any chance of seeing him and reacting quickly enough in this fog to do anything if he gets close." Naruto said, the Hyuuga nodding in approval as she assumed her gentle fist stance. "You ready Sasuke?" Naruto asked, his dark haired friend grinning in response.

"Let's do this." Sasuke said as he charged after the clone while Naruto made several shadow clones, which he proceeded to throw in quick succession at the water clone.

"What the hell are you kids doing?" the water clone yelled as the Naruto clones landed next to him, only for him to realize that Naruto had attached paper bombs to them before he jumped out of the way quickly to avoid the explosion. He had been distracted to the point where he didn't notice the Uchiha fly up on him and deliver a massive kick that sent him skywards.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke yelled, sending a massive fireball at the fake Zabuza while Naruto charged after the real one.

"Fuck!" the water clone yelled as he was forced to block the fireball with his sword, realizing that the blonde boy had already charged towards his real body. 'These kids are smarter than they look, I'll never be able to reach the real me in time' the clone thought as he landed, only to be engaged in a flurry of punches and kicks from Sasuke.

"I've got you now!" Naruto yelled as he charged after the real Zabuza, creating shadow clones right before he got to him. He used the clone in front of him as a springboard to jump high in the air as four clones delivered kicks that sent the real Zabuza high into the air.

"You'll pay for this you little brat!" Zabuza yelled as he prepared to slash at the blonde boy in front of him only to be kicked in the back at the last second by a now free Kakashi, who had jumped and delivered the kick before catching Naruto. The two leaf ninja landed in the water before Kakashi stood to face the mist jonin, who was standing himself back up on the far end of the pond away from the bridge builder.

"Come on Zabuza, let's finish this." Kakashi called out as the two began circling each other, making hand signs the entire time.

"How are you able to keep up with me so quickly?!" Zabuza yelled out in frustration as he watched the jonin across from him copying his hand signs perfectly, almost like he was reading his mind. Meanwhile, Sasuke and Naruto had gone to rejoin Hinata, watching in awe as their teacher copied every one of Zabuza's movements perfectly.

"This must have been what godfather meant when he said Kakashi is one of the most powerful ninja in the world." Naruto said, amazed at how skilled their leader was.

"I still want to know how he was able to obtain a sharingan. Maybe he has Uchiha blood in him." Sasuke said quietly, more curious about that than anything.

"The fog is starting to clear, and I'm able to see that they're both producing a massive amount of chakra right now! Whatever their doing, we're about to see it!" Hinata said, adrenaline pumping through her as she watched.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" the two jonin yelled as two massive streams of water shot out of the pond, taking on the shape of a massive dragon as they exploded into each other. Neither one wasted any time as they began doing another series of matching hand signs, much to Zabuza's horror.

"Stop copying me, you fucking monkey!" Zabuza yelled out before he stopped in horror, panicking as he saw a silhouette of himself behind Kakashi smirking at him evilly. "Your eye, can you see the future?" the mist ninja called out, faltering in his hand signs as his concentration was broken from the image.

"Yes, and it ends with your death. Water Style: Water Vortex Jutsu!" Kakashi yelled out as all the water beneath him became a swirling torrent of power that crashed into Zabuza with incredible force, shooting him through the forest.

'Impossible, I was just about to use this jutsu and he beat me to it, but how' Zabuza thought to himself as he was thrown through the forest by the geyser of water that had been launched at him before slamming into a tree.

"It's over Zabuza, just surrender now and I will allow you to live." Kakashi said as he and his squad walked over to where the massive ninja sat against the tree he'd been thrown into.

"Ha, even if I did surrender and you let me go, I'm a rogue ninja, where would I run to." Zabuza said, no sooner had the words left his mouth when he was struck down by two small needle like weapons that now protruded from his neck.

"What the hell just happened?" Naruto yelled out, confused as to what they just witnessed. No sooner had the three genin and Tazuna arrived at Kakashi's side when the mist jonin was struck down. Looking up in the trees, Hinata spotted the chakra signature of the culprit.

"That ninja that did it is up there, in the trees!" Hinata said quickly, Sasuke and Naruto going on the defensive while Kakashi merely watched.

"I must thank you for your assistance, I've been tracking this one for some time now." the ninja said as she landed next to Zabuza's massive body.

"You're a tracker ninja from the mist then. I suppose your timing is as good as ever." Kakashi said, watching suspiciously as the supposed tracker ninja put one of Zabuza's arms over her shoulder before disappearing in a gust of icy wind. Sighing in frustration, he slid his headband back over his sharingan and walked back to his team.

"Sensei, what just happened there, and why did a tracker ninja take off with Zabuza's body?" Naruto asked, shocking Hinata and Sasuke both that he knew that the female had been a tracker ninja.

"I haven't figured out the why yet, but we've just had a fast one pulled on us. Normally, tracker ninja would cremate the remains right on the spot when they get their target so as not to waste any time. The fact that this one disappeared with him tells me that perhaps they are working together and that Zabuza wasn't actually killed, only paralyzed." Kakashi said, frustrated with himself for allowing this to happen.

"That means that we haven't seen the last of those two then, although I bet it takes him awhile to recover after being whipped around like that." Sasuke said, grinning triumphantly at their victory, even if it was temporary.

"Sensei, are you alright? Your chakra readings are weak, and I believe you may be suffering from chakra exhaustion." Hinata said as she observed him, catching him as he dropped to a knee, breathing heavily.

"Your right, it's the price that comes with using the sharingan so much. I don't have Uchiha blood, so the toll is much more noticeable in me than it would be in say, Sasuke." Kakashi said, confusing Sasuke more as his distant relative idea went out the window.

"Don't worry Kakashi, we're a short way from the pier, and soon after that we'll be at my home where you can rest." Tazuna said, leading the way as the group proceeded towards the land of waves.

"Naruto, Sasuke, you both did great out there." Hinata said, kissing Naruto on the cheek as they walked. This in turn caused him to blush and the other two to laugh.

"Don't forget about you, if it hadn't been for your fast reflexes, that water clone would have clipped all of us in the very beginning!" Naruto said excitedly, glad that he managed to get Hinata to blush at his praise.

"Yeah Hinata, don't ever forget that your just as important to the team as we are." Sasuke said, Hinata in turn swelling with pride at the compliment.

'This team never ceases to amaze me' Kakashi thought to himself as he continued on behind the group, praying that the dock was close by. It wasn't long after when they spotted the pier with the lone boat, and soon the group was cruising along the water towards the land of waves.

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"Damn it Haku, I wish you wouldn't use my neck for this sort of thing." Zabuza said as he pulled the senbon out, grimacing slightly as they exited his body.

"I'm sorry master, but it was the only way to make it look believable. Even then, the one you called Kakashi did not look fooled in the slightest." Haku said as she helped assist her partner to their hideout.

"Of course he wasn't fooled, there's a reason he's lived as long as he has with his reputation. He's a powerful adversary that isn't a fool in any way except maybe for his foolish notions about friendship." Zabuza said, wincing as they continued to walk. 'The man is a damn good ninja, and under different circumstances would be a great ally to fight beside' the jonin thought to himself, giving credit where it was due.

"You speak of him like he is not our enemy. Why is this?" Haku asked, confused by her master's words of praise for the ninja that had just kicked his ass.

"He's a ninja that is worthy of that kind of respect, that's why. It's merely chance that we have to do battle with each other." Zabuza replied as they entered their base of operations, a small warehouse with a bedroom in the back.

"Well for now, you shall rest. It will be at least a week before your back to full power, so until then you need to rest." Haku said as she helped him into his bed. He merely grunted in response, knowing that to argue in his current state was useless. "I'm going out to collect herbs for medicine; I shall be back in an hour or so." Haku said as she bowed deeply before walking out.

'Next time we meet Kakashi, you won't be so lucky' Zabuza thought to himself as he drifted off to sleep, the memories of the day's battle replaying over and over in his mind.


	9. Chapter 8

**Of Foxes, Toads, and Ninja**

**A/N: Chapter eight is up, bringing with it everything from Zabuza to Haku to some Naruto Hinata action thrown in. Just a head's up, once the team is finished in the land of waves, expect a lull in plot development for just a couple chapters while you get to see some home life adventures of your favorite ninja. For now though, just find a chair and get comfortable, because this chapter's a little longer than others. For everyone that's reviewed or favorited the story, your support is always appreciated. For people that haven't but want too, you can review it if you find time in your schedules. For now though, just enjoy!**

Copyright Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own any characters from said franchise. If I did…well I wouldn't be writing on here.

Chapter 8: Times are Changing

"Leaf ninja, welcome to my home." Tazuna said more cheerfully than normal as their group of five entered a small, two story house. They were greeted by a young woman that appeared to be around Kakashi's age with long dark hair, caring eyes, and a cheerful smile.

"Father, welcome home! Hello everyone, my name is Tsunami, I'm so happy that you brought him home safe and sound." the woman said, earning smiles from the entire group. After their recent scuffle with Zabuza, friendly faces were a welcome sight to the group.

"Hello Tsunami, my name is Kakashi Hatake, and these are my students Hinata Hyuuga, Naruto Namikaze, and Sasuke Uchiha. We're very grateful for yours and your father's hospitality." Kakashi said, smiling underneath his mask as the team got situated inside. It didn't take long for Tsunami to start making dinner and Tazuna to help get everybody a place to stay.

"I know it's not much, but it's nicer than sleeping outside." The bridge builder said nicely as he showed the ninja to their rooms. Kakashi and Sasuke were rooming together while Hinata and Naruto shared another.

"Um, are you sure you're ok with this Hinata?" Naruto asked politely after they were told the arrangements.

"It'll be just fine, there's separate beds and everything, so you don't need to worry about being uncomfortable." Hinata said, giggling at how chivalrous her crush was being. 'Such a gentleman, just another reason he's so perfect' the Hyuuga thought to herself while the two joined the rest of the group downstairs.

"Man, I thought you two got lost for a second." Sasuke said jokingly as Hinata and Naruto entered the kitchen, both blushing slightly as they took seats on either side of him. Kakashi was seated next to Tsunami, Tazuna, and a younger boy that had just walked in.

"Inari, your home just in time for dinner. Why don't you say hello to our guests? Their ninja all the way from the land of fire here to help your grandfather." Tsunami said brightly while the boy just stared at the ninja group.

"Who do you people think you are, heroes or something?" Inari asked coldly, shocking not only the leaf shinobi but Tsunami and Tazuna as well.

"Well kid, I wouldn't call us heroes, but we are here to help save your country." Naruto said, his happiness not at all hindered by the boy's cold attitude.

"Yeah, well there's no point, you're just going to get killed by Gato and his men anyway. Heroes aren't real; you're just a bunch of liars!" Inari yelled before running upstairs, once again surprising all present.

"What the hell was that kid's problem?" Naruto said angrily, confused why the small boy was so hostile towards them.

"I apologize for Inari's behavior; he wasn't always like this you know. His attitude has deteriorated ever since someone precious to him was taken and killed right in front of him by Gato and his thugs. The man was considered a hero here in wave country, still is. Gato saw him as a threat however, and had him executed publicly to set an example to those that thought about resisting him. Ever since then, Inari has never been the same. No longer does he smile or laugh like he used to, and his kind eyes have been replaced with those filled with sadness and anger." Tazuna said, Tsunami crying silently beside him.

"That's horrible, how could that man do such horrible things to innocent people?" Hinata asked, horrified by how cruel this Gato person was.

"It is the way that some people think Hinata. There are those that believe that power brings with it the ability to do whatever a person desires. Gato exactly like that, believes that great wealth and power make him superior to others." Kakashi said, his face remaining emotionless the entire time.

"It's for that reason that I wanted to build the bridge to the mainland, to keep men like that from destroying this country. It is the only way to free wave country from Gato's tyranny." Tazuna said, his expression passionate and determined.

"Well you'd better believe that we'll be helping as much as we can. People that pursue power at the cost of the innocent make me sick." Sasuke said, his eyes filled with determination.

"I like the attitude kid, I'm glad to have such passionate individuals on our side." Tazuna said happily, Tsunami nodding her head in agreement. The group continued eating, the conversation turning to happier subjects as the night wore on. The moon was up by the time everybody started heading to their rooms for the evening, everybody exhausted from the day's events.

"Goodnight Naruto." Hinata whispered as the two settled in to their separate beds. An hour or so had passed when Hinata screamed loudly, sending Naruto shooting out of bed with a kunai in hand, ready to defend her.

"Hinata, what's wrong, is someone there?" Naruto asked as he stood defensively over the girl, who was now sobbing quietly.

"N-No Naruto, it w-was just a nightmare." Hinata stuttered out, scaring Naruto even more. Hinata never stuttered anymore unless she was extremely afraid or nervous, so her nightmare must have been bad to shake her up this much.

"It's alright Hinata, it wasn't real." Naruto said softly as he wrapped his arms around the shaking girl, trying his best to soothe her. It didn't take long for her to calm down enough to stop shaking, although she didn't release the hold she had on the blonde.

"Naruto, will you hold me tonight? I don't want to have another nightmare." Hinata said, praying that the blonde would stay with her.

"Sure, anything to make you happy." Naruto said as he flashed her his normal dazzling smile, causing the Hyuuga to blush. The two got situated and before long, the only sounds to leave the room were those of the two breathing, both happy that they got to spend two night's together now.

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"I'm going out for a little while; I'll meet up with you guys later." Sasuke said as he left the clearing the three genin had been training in.

"Just be careful Sasuke, we don't know if Zabuza is fully recovered yet." Hinata said, Sasuke nodding and waving back to acknowledge her before he dashed through the trees.

"Don't worry Hinata, he'll be fine. Let's get back to sparring." Naruto said as he created more clones to surround Hinata with. The three of them had been working on helping Hinata with reaction time when attacked by multiple opponents, further developing her skill with the Byakugan.

'If we weren't training, this would be a dream come true' Hinata thought to herself, giggling at the thought of being surrounded by Naruto's, all of them sweating from exertion. Her day dream was cut short though as the clones began charging at her, forcing her on the defensive. Meanwhile, Sasuke continued flying through the trees, simply wanting to explore the surrounding forest. He was the fastest out of the group as far as traveling speed went, hence why he went by himself.

'Such a beautiful place, how anyone could try to crush it is beneath me' Sasuke thought to himself as he took in the scenery around him. The forest itself was multiple shades of green, with the sounds of wildlife filling the air with a calming collection of background noise. 'This looks like a good place to stop for a bit' the Uchiha thought as he landed in a large clearing that appeared to be filled with several different types of plants. If he hadn't landed, he would have missed the girl that was in the clearing as well, picking herbs and placing them in a basket. She didn't seem to mind him being there though, even sending him a small smile while she worked. This caused Sasuke to do something he thought he'd never do…he blushed.

"Um, hey there, what are you doing this far out of town?" Sasuke said, his train of thought suddenly unclear as he took in the girl in front of him. She had long, flowing dark hair that went well past her shoulder blades, vibrant blue eyes, and wore a simple light blue, sleeveless dress. From Sasuke's point of view, she was absolutely breathtaking.

"I'm picking herbs for various remedies and medicines. The best medicine I've ever made has come from fresh ingredients, plus I enjoy the calm and serenity that comes with being this far from civilization." the girl replied, recognizing the boy from somewhere. She was sure she couldn't forget his dark eyes, something she was immediately drawn to.

"Well, we have the calm and serenity thing in common. I'm Sasuke by the way, Sasuke Uchiha." Sasuke said, reaching out to shake the girl's hand. She looked to be a couple years older than him, something more apparent when she stood up to shake his hand. Not only was she slightly taller than him, but she was easily more developed than any girl he'd met his own age.

"It's very nice to meet you Sasuke; my name is Haku, Haku Momochi." Haku replied, adding her master's surname in to appear as normal as possible. She noticed a quick glimmer in Sasuke's eyes before it went away, not paying it any attention. She couldn't help but notice that the Uchiha was very attractive, but she was good at hiding it.

"So Haku, are you from wave country?" Sasuke asked, already knowing who the girl was. The logical part of his brain told him that he should strike now while she's unarmed, but everything else said otherwise. 'What the hell is going on' Sasuke asked himself as his stomach did a flip when she smiled at him, a smile that was so warm and sincere.

"No, I'm merely visiting for now. Are you visiting as well? Surely a leaf ninja doesn't live in wave country." Haku said, pointing Sasuke's headband on his forehead. He smiled at her then, causing her to blush slightly. 'What on earth is this strange feeling' Haku asked herself, just as confused as the Uchiha was.

"You definitely aren't from here if you know about ninja. But your right, I'm here visiting with a few friends." Sasuke said, trying not to hint at too much while at the same time not wanting to lie completely.

"Interesting indeed. Why did you travel here by yourself then if you're here with your friends?" Haku asked, curious why he'd want to travel on his own.

"They didn't need me for training today, and I wanted to go exploring the area. I travel fastest by myself, and the calm is relaxing." Sasuke answered, curious if she even knew who he was at this point.

"Why were you not needed for training?" Haku asked, even more curious now than before.

"Let's just say that my best friend has certain skills that I don't that allow him to be more effective than I would be." Sasuke replied, thinking of all the shadow clones Hinata would be cutting down.

"This information does not make you jealous at all?" Haku asked, completely baffled by the boy. She had been raised that only the strongest survive, so to see this boy talk of his friend that was possibly stronger so calmly had blown her mind.

"No, because I know that it doesn't matter how strong either of us gets, we'll always have each other's backs. Plus, I'm sure my friend he's training with will enjoy the alone time I gave her." Sasuke said, chuckling at the image of Hinata fainting due to the many sweaty Naruto's surrounding her.

"Ah, so your friends are a couple then?" Haku asked, now curious about the more personal issues.

"I'm sure she wishes they were, but no, they aren't. They will be someday though; you can see it in his eyes, even if he won't admit it. He only sees her when it comes to girls, despite him not realizing his feelings for her." Sasuke said, chuckling at how dense his friend was emotionally.

"Do you wish to be like that someday?" Haku asked, confused as to why she was so nervous to hear his answer.

"Well, up until now I never thought I'd meet a girl that was not only beautiful but also fun to talk to and be around." Sasuke answered, blushing as Haku slowly realized what he had just said.

"Well, I certainly hope that you are able to obtain what you seek. I fear that I must leave now. Perhaps we will see each other again." Haku said before smiling at him, not even realizing how red her face was as she stared into his dark eyes. 'I only wish that we were able to meet on different terms' Haku thought to herself, incredibly sad that she would have to meet this dark haired ninja in combat eventually.

"I have a gut feeling that we'll meet again, so don't go saying goodbye just yet." Sasuke replied with a smile as he courageously took a step forward to hug the girl. She didn't shy away, actually returning the hug with equal warmth. 'I have to find a way to keep us from fighting' Sasuke thought to himself, unsure if he would be able to do battle with the beautiful ninja he held in his arms.

"I have a feeling your right, Sasuke Uchiha." Haku said before turning to walk away, disappearing in a gust of icy wind as soon as she was out of the clearing.

"Fuck Sasuke, what have you gotten yourself into." Sasuke muttered to himself as he dashed back through the clearing, desperately needing to talk to Hinata.

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"So Sasuke, what did you want to talk about?" Hinata asked, curious why her dark haired friend that was normally so calm and collected looked so nervous. She and Naruto had been taking a break from sparring when he had appeared out of the woods, asking to talk with her alone. Naruto had been surprisingly ok with it, stating that he was going to practice sealing now that he had a quiet environment to work in. Agreeing to talk, the two had walked for some time before Hinata finally broke the silence.

"Alright, first thing's first, you know that I would never do anything to hurt you or Naruto right?" Sasuke asked, Hinata nodding her head immediately. The Hyuuga trusted Sasuke with her life, and his and Naruto's bond was even stronger than that.

"Good, I just needed to hear it. Before I proceed though, could you describe what it's like when you're with Naruto?" Sasuke asked, wanting to hear anything that sounded similar to how he'd just felt with this Haku girl.

"Oh Sasuke, it's the most wonderful feeling in the world knowing how close we are. When he smiles at me and looks at me with those perfect blue eyes, my heart melts. Just being near him makes my stomach to flips in the most wonderful way. When he hugs me and holds me close, I feel like the most special person in the world. I could go on and on if you wanted me to." Hinata said, her eyes suddenly dreamy as her mind traveled a million miles away to a place where her and her crush could do whatever they wanted.

"Hinata, I think I just ran into someone that makes me feel that way, although nowhere near as intense as your feelings are." Sasuke said softly, Hinata suddenly breaking out of her trance to look at him in shock. "Why are you staring at me like that?" Sasuke asked, confused by his friend's reaction.

"I'll be honest with you, this was the last thing I expected to hear from you." Hinata said, her voice suddenly serious. 'Who on earth could he have met to bring out this side of him' she thought to herself.

"Well, I was traveling through the woods when I spotted a nice little clearing to take a rest in…" Sasuke said, continuing on with his story of how he met Haku and how they had talked for what felt like forever. He was sure to describe how he had been feeling the entire time he was around her, earning more than a few 'aw, how cute' comments from Hinata. "Finally, we stood to say our goodbyes, and I took and chance and hugged her, only for her to hug me back! Hinata, it's the greatest feeling I've ever felt!" Sasuke said, a light smile on his face as he finished his story.

"Sasuke, I'm so happy for you, which is why I wish this situation were different. You do remember that she's allied with Zabuza, right?" Hinata asked, not failing to notice how sad her friend had become so quickly.

"Yeah, which is why I'm going to find a way to bring her home with us. I don't know if I can fight against her Hinata…" Sasuke said quietly, feeling unsure of himself for the first time in his entire life. He felt Hinata's hand on his shoulder, her eye's full of determination.

"Sasuke, if you truly strive to achieve this goal, then I'll be damned if I let my best friend do it alone." Hinata said, flashing Sasuke a reassuring smile.

"If I'm your best friend, then what does that make Naruto?" Sasuke asked with a chuckle, Hinata smiling slyly at him.

"Oh, he's much more than my best friend, he just needs time to realize what's right in front of him." Hinata said, a flirty look on her face as she thought of her blonde crush. Sasuke could only laugh as he thought of shy little Hinata corrupting his blonde friend. "Speaking of my blonde heart throb, you should tell him about Haku. You know he'd do everything he could to help you with this situation." The Hyuuga said, Sasuke nodding in agreement.

"Oh, I know he would. I just wanted a girl's opinion on it first before I told him." Sasuke said in a matter of fact voice, causing both of them to chuckle. "We should go find him though before we go back to the house, I'd rather sensei didn't know about this." Sasuke said as he and Hinata dashed back through the woods, finding Naruto writing in various scrolls in the same spot they left him. He was so focused that he didn't even notice the two coming until Hinata snuck up and hugged him.

"Holy hell, Hinata you scared me." Naruto said with a chuckle as he turned in her arms to hug her back, enjoying the contact they shared.

"Enough cutesy stuff, I have to talk to you." Sasuke said with a smile as the two separated from each other, Naruto giving his friend his undivided attention. Taking a breath, Sasuke passed on what he had told Hinata, choosing to leave out some of the mushier details he was sure his friend didn't care to hear. When he was finished, Naruto simply stared at him for a moment before smiling widely at him.

"Sasuke, you should already know by now that I'll stand beside you through anything. You're my best friend, almost like a brother I've always wanted. So you damn well better believe that we'll find a way to bring Haku with us!" Naruto said excitedly, Sasuke not able to contain his smile from spreading ear to ear.

"Come on; let's head back to the house before Kakashi wonder's where we've gone to." Hinata said as the three walked back to the house, a new determination now present in their eyes.

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"So Haku, how did scouting go today?" Zabuza asked, curious if his apprentice had found any other useful information besides the daily routine of the bridge builder.

"I'm sorry master, nothing new to report today." Haku said half-heartedly, something Zabuza had noticed.

"Haku, what distracts you? We've been here a week now, yet you've been walking in a daze since our second day here. I can't afford to protect you in battle because your mind isn't in it." Zabuza said, trying to sound colder than he actually meant. He would deny it to his grave, but he secretly held a soft spot for the girl, almost like that of a father and daughter.

"I'm fine master, and rest assured that you need not worry about protecting me when the fight eventually comes." Haku said, trying to sound as sure and determined as possible. Zabuza merely looked at her closely for a moment before nodding his head.

"Good, because I'm feeling well enough that we should be able to strike tomorrow." Zabuza said, wanting to finish this assassination as soon as possible so he could get his money from Gato and eventually kill the short bastard.

"As you wish, you know I live to serve you master." Haku said, suddenly having doubts for the first time since she had met the mist jonin.

"I know Haku, now get some rest. We will proceed with the plan as soon as the sun's up." Zabuza said before shutting off the light, confused as to why he saw a flicker of doubt in the young girl's eyes.

'Oh Sasuke, if only we could meet on different terms. I only pray that you forgive me for what might happen tomorrow' Haku thought to herself as she shed silent tears before falling asleep, wanting more than anything for things to be different.

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"Alright Sasuke, you're sure you'll be alright staying back?" Kakashi asked as he, Naruto, and Hinata prepared to join Tazuna at the bridge today. Kakashi was back to full strength and insisted that they be there to help in any way possible. Sasuke had volunteered to stay back in case any thugs came to the house now that the rest of the team was gone.

"It's no problem sensei; I just hope that those creeps actually try to make a move here while I'm around." Sasuke said, trying to sound convincing as he put on a fake grin. Truthfully, he didn't want to be there in case Zabuza and Haku appeared, as he was still unsure if he would be able to face the girl of his dreams in combat.

"Alright, we'll see you later. I'll radio you if shit hits the fan at the bridge." Kakashi said, handing Sasuke a small radio before he left. Sasuke in turn silently prayed that it would be a calm day today. He watched as his team headed off in the direction of the bridge for a little while before taking a spot atop the house where he could observe everything that was going on without being spotted himself.

"Man, these two are just asking for it." Sasuke muttered to himself as he watched two men approach the house from the woods, both wearing swords on their hips. "Bet you think your cool with those fucking swords." The Uchiha muttered as he dropped in front of the men, chuckling as he watched them jump back, the looks on their faces showing how scared shitless they were.

"Hey kid, just who in the fuck do you think you are?" one thug said as he drew his sword, glaring at the boy who stood so calm in front of them.

"Yeah, we're going to have to teach you a lesson in respect now." the second thug said, grinning as he drew his own sword, both of them charging full speed at Sasuke now.

"Pitiful…Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke yelled as he leisurely made the hand signs, breathing out a massive ball of fire that engulfed the two thugs. The two men screamed in horror and agony as they were incinerated, nothing left but molten metal and ash by the time Sasuke released the jutsu. 'Damn, I think I'm getting better at it' Sasuke said with a chuckle as he walked back into the house, feeling no remorse for what he had just done. He knew that they would have killed an innocent woman and child if he hadn't done them in.

"Sasuke, come in! An unnatural fog is covering the bridge, becoming thicker by the second. If your hearing this, come to the…idge imm…signal cut…Kakashi out" the radio chimed in as Sasuke stood there, taking it all in. He looked in the direction of the bridge, noticing the unnatural fog that had swept over the area suddenly.

'Fuck, so much for a peaceful day' Sasuke thought to himself as he took off towards the bridge, knowing his team needed him. He just hoped that Haku wouldn't be there this time around.

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"Kakashi, so glad you could join us today. I was worried that I'd get bored toying with your students." Zabuza said with a chuckle as he and Haku suddenly appeared in front of the trio of ninja. Tazuna could only look in horror at all the workers that lie unconscious all over the bridge, some more bloodied than others.

"Zabuza, you don't need to do this. I know that you can't enjoy taking orders from Gato, we could take him down together." Kakashi said, trying to get the mist jonin to see reason. He didn't want to have to kill him, but he would if forced to.

"Trust me when I say that the offer is tempting, but no dice. I've never missed a mark, and I'll be damned if I ruin that streak today." Zabuza replied, knowing that the only reason he continued after the bridge builder was for the money offered by Gato.

"Fine then, Naruto, Hinata, protect the bridge builder. I'll deal with Zabuza." Kakashi said as he raised his headband, revealing his sharingan.

"No, this time I take your students out of the equation. Haku, attack the kids!" Zabuza yelled, Haku simply nodding before disappearing in a gust of cold wind, reappearing behind Hinata and sending her flying across the bridge with a swift kick.

"Hinata no! I'll destroy you!" Naruto yelled angrily as he charged after Haku with a burst of speed, not caring that she was the object of Sasuke's affection. Nobody laid a hand on his Hinata without him returning the pain tenfold.

"Forgive me, I wish it were different." Haku mumbled to herself, glad for the fact that Sasuke at least wasn't there. She charged after Hinata, only to be stopped suddenly as the Hyuuga caught her punch and delivered her own in one swift movement. Hinata had intentionally aimed for her arm, hoping to disable her without doing too much damage.

"Haku, you know we don't have to be enemies." Hinata cried out as she exchanged blows with the mist ninja, neither one gaining any ground on each other.

"I have no choice, I live to serve Zabuza." Haku replied, trying not to hurt the girl who was Sasuke's friend too much.

"You leave her alone!" Naruto yelled as he suddenly appeared behind her, kicking her hard in the torso and effectively launching her across the bridge.

"Naruto, have you forgotten the plan already?" Hinata cried out as she grasped onto Naruto's arm, only to stare confused into a pair of red eyes. It didn't take long for them to soften though, and they returned to a gentle blue as he realized that she was unhurt.

"I haven't forgotten Hinata; I was worried about you is all. I let my temper get in the way when she kicked you." Naruto said, his eyes filled with worry as he looked upon the girl in front of him.

"I'm alright Naruto, let's just finish this out." Hinata said, the two turning to face Haku, who had risen to her feet and stared at them.

"Looks like your apprentice is evenly matched with my students, and Sasuke isn't even here yet." Kakashi said smugly as he and Zabuza sized each other up, looking for any openings.

"Don't get cocky yet Kakashi, Haku hasn't even revealed her ace yet." Zabuza said with a smirk, knowing that his apprentice could drop even powerful jonin with her abilities.

"I wish I didn't have to do this, but I fear I have no choice. Sasuke, forgive me for what I am about to do." Haku said softly as she disappeared in another gust of icy wind, reappearing between Hinata and Naruto, kicking Naruto far away from the two before turning to face Hinata.

"Haku, you can come with us. You don't have to stay with Zabuza for the rest of your life, come with us and be with Sasuke instead." Hinata said, hoping to reach a part of her that violence would never reach.

"The Uchiha is precious to me, but Zabuza is precious as well, and I will always serve him." Haku said as she flew quickly through hand signs. "Secret Jutsu: Crystal Ice Mirrors!" the girl yelled before a mirror made of solid ice appeared between the two kunoichi. Hinata watched in shock as the mist ninja stepped into the mirror, becoming even more shocked when she became surrounded by a dome of identical mirrors.

"Byakugan!" Hinata yelled as she activated her blood line trait, staring in awe at the equal amounts of chakra every mirror shared.

"I regret to say that this is as far as you go." Haku said as she began throwing senbon while jumping between mirrors, moving fast enough to make it appear as though all the mirrors were throwing at once. Fortunately, Hinata had been training against something like this as she began to dodge and evade the senbon launched at her.

"Hinata, are you ok?" Naruto yelled from outside the dome, trying everything in his power to get inside to help her. In the split second she was distracted, Hinata began to get hit by the needles, her movements slowing gradually as she was hit more and more. "Hinata, no!" Naruto yelled as he watched in horror as his girl was cut down before him.

"Ha, looks like your students couldn't handle Haku after all." Zabuza said while Kakashi listened to Naruto's cries of agony. He went to charge after Haku when the massive mist ninja appeared in front of him, effectively barring the way. "No interfering, your fight is with me, unless of course you forfeit the bridge builder's life." Zabuza said menacingly, Kakashi realizing that he would be forced to fight now.

"Don't worry Kakashi, I'll protect Tazuna. You just kick this guy's ass." A familiar voice said as a dark haired boy landed near the bridge builder.

"Sasuke, your timing couldn't be any more perfect. Zabuza, we finish this now!" Kakashi said as he collided with the massive mist ninja, the two jonin attacking each other at full power. Sasuke could only watch in awe before an agonizing scream caught his attention.

"Hinata, don't go, please don't leave me…" Naruto cried out as the Hyuuga hit the ground, her body now resembling a pin cushion from all the senbon. "You, I don't care if my best friend cares for you, you've taken her from me…I'LL KILL YOU!" Naruto yelled in pure fury as a shroud of red chakra surrounded his body. In his fury, he failed to notice the faint breaths that escaped the Hyuuga's lips, his eyes only seeing the girl from the mist. Slowly, the chakra formed a cloak over him, a single tail protruding from the end.

"Kakashi, what's happening?" Sasuke yelled out as he watched his best friend transform. It was then that he felt the massive surge of energy radiate off his friend, effectively freezing him in his tracks.

"Kakashi is that…" Zabuza asked, recognizing the chakra signature as one that he had felt many years ago. It was a signature that had brought destruction and chaos with it over twelve years ago to the village hidden in the leaves, a chaos that was felt all the way in the village hidden in the mist.

"It is, I just don't understand how." Kakashi said, now fearful for the safety of everyone on the bridge. 'Is it possible that the seal is weakening' the jonin asked himself.

"What kind of power is this? Tell me blonde one, who are you to possess such power?" Haku asked, now scared for her life as she stared in horror at what had become of Naruto. She doubted that he would listen to her about his friend, his eyes only seeing bloodlust and hatred.

"YOU KILLED THE GIRL I LOVED; NOW I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU WISH YOU WERE DEAD!" Naruto yelled as he jumped high into the air, only to come flying down like a streaking red meteor as he slammed through the ice dome, the entire dome exploding in every direction except for where Hinata laid, Naruto using his body to shield hers. As Haku landed on her feet, she was terrified at the speed the small demon possessed as he appeared in front of her almost instantly, slamming his fist into her with such force that the mask she wore shattered to pieces. She slammed into the ground, lying in wait for the killing blow that never came.

"Naruto, please stop this." Sasuke cried out as he stood defensively over Haku. "There has to be another way, you showed me that!" Sasuke said, begging his best friend to stop before he destroyed the girl he held dear to him.

"SASUKE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Naruto yelled as he watched his best friend stand between him and Hinata's killer. "SHE KILLED HINATA IN COLD BLOOD, AND YOUR PROTECTING HER?" the boy cried out in agony, feeling more betrayed than ever.

"Naruto, I understand the pain of losing someone you hold dear, but does taking her life bring Hinata back? Revenge isn't the answer; it'll only bring you more pain." Sasuke replied, thinking of the time in his life before he met Naruto when his only goal was to seek revenge on his older brother. "There has to be another way…" Sasuke pleaded before Haku stood behind him, the pained look in her eyes due to her clashing emotions more than the physical pain Naruto had caused.

"Naruto, the girl who is precious to you, she lives…" Haku said, Naruto's eyes softening slightly at her words. In a flash, he was at her side, listening for any signs of life. Kakashi and Sasuke both released a sigh of relief when they saw the red chakra begin to dissipate from Naruto, replaced with him sobbing as he held Hinata in his arms.

"Words cannot describe how sorry I am Sasuke." Haku said quietly as she placed a hand on his shoulder, surprised when he didn't shake it off.

"Your student…he stood in the face of death itself to protect someone he held dear." Zabuza said, not knowing what to think after what he had just witnessed.

"It just proves that friendship and companionship can overcome all hatred." Kakashi said, surprised himself at the strange turn of events. He wasn't complaining when Zabuza hefted his sword back into its sheath, turning to face the silver haired jonin.

"Perhaps you are right, and perhaps I have been foolish in thinking that strength can only be acquired through revenge and killing." Zabuza said, the truth in his words apparent as Haku and Sasuke turned to face the jonin. Naruto was busy removing the senbon from Hinata slowly and carefully, all the while staring at her with a look of realization in his eyes.

"Zabuza, don't tell me you've gone soft now. We had a deal, and it looks to me like you just broke it." An arrogant voice yelled from the end of the bridge. As the mist receded, the two jonin were shocked to see a massive crowd of what appeared to be thugs and criminals standing there with Gato in the front.

"Yeah, well I'm smart enough to know when I'm beat. To go against that blonde kid would be a suicide mission, so consider our deal off. I'm done taking orders from you, you short, greedy bastard." Zabuza said coldly as he reached for his sword while Kakashi drew a kunai.

"What do you say; want to try working together on this one?" Kakashi asked as he prepared himself to attack, Sasuke and Haku following his lead.

"Fuck it, what's the worst that could happen against this rag tag band of tough guys." Zabuza said sarcastically as he flew into the crowd, effectively rending the heads from the shoulders of any that were unlucky enough to be in his way. Sasuke had thrown himself into the fray, launching a massive fireball to clear a path as he landed, incinerating all that were caught in it. Kakashi began throwing kunai into the crowd while Haku threw massive icicles, the two objects impaling any thugs that weren't paying attention.

"Come on, stop them!" Gato yelled from the back as he watched his men get cut down in one bloody kill after the other. Suddenly, the short man felt a massive presence behind him before he felt the sword enter the middle of his skull and exit through his groin. Zabuza chuckled coldly as he watched the two severed pieces fall to the ground into a pool of blood, the man's insides spilling all over the ground.

"Alright, as you can see, your leader is dead. Therefore, I'm giving you exactly one minute to clear this bridge and never come back before I show you what I can really do!" Kakashi yelled menacingly as he watched the remaining men throw themselves off the bridge, swimming to the boats they had come in.

"If they were smart, they won't come back." Sasuke said as he watched the boats sail away, leaving the land of waves forever.

"I'd say that if their intelligence doesn't save them, then the simple will to survive will work just as well." Haku said, standing beside her second savior.

"Regardless, with Gato gone, we can finish the bridge in peace and save this land!" Tazuna said happily, appearing from behind a pile of bricks. While everyone had been distracted by Naruto's transformation, the old man had taken the time to hide out of sight.

"Yes, I suppose you can. You really aren't worth the effort anyway." Zabuza said sarcastically as he joined the four of them. It was then that Kakashi looked over to see Naruto finally walking towards the group carrying Hinata in his arms protectively.

"Naruto how is she?" Kakashi asked, knowing he was probably on the best terms with him right now.

"She's alive, but she needs rest. Sasuke, I'd like to thank you for stopping me from doing something I would have regretted." Naruto said, giving his dark haired friend a small smile. The blonde then turned to Haku, his face returning to its prior seriousness. "Haku, you are precious to Sasuke, therefore I will do anything in my power to help him keep you safe. However, don't expect me to trust you right away. I'm being as generous as I am because it's what Hinata would want, not because I want to." Naruto said indifferently to the girl before setting off at a brisk dash towards Tazuna's home.

"I am surprised to see him be so accepting after what just happened. I do not deserve such patience." Haku said sadly before Sasuke put a hand under her chin, forcing her eyes to meet his.

"Give it time, and I promise you on my Uchiha name that he'll grow on you." Sasuke said, giving the girl a small smile. She smiled back before looking at Zabuza, the smile suddenly gone.

"Zabuza, I am sorry that I have failed you…" Haku said, the tears now streaming down her face as she waited for her master to yell or scream at her. When it didn't come, she was surprised to see what looked like a smile on his face.

"Haku, once again you have proven your great wisdom despite your young age. By you showing mercy to the Hyuuga girl, you have shown me that perhaps the cold-hearted life I've been living for so long is not the way. With that being said, I ask that you continue to travel with Kakashi and his team and learn from them. For that boy to have such strength simply by fighting for another, it proves that you can learn much from this team." Zabuza said, already knowing that Kakashi would have no problem accepting the young girl in.

"But master, what about you? Are you simply going to travel the nations alone?" Haku asked, not wanting her master and the closest thing she had to a father being all alone.

"I will, but only until I can find myself, find a new reason to keep fighting. Kakashi Hatake, I, Zabuza Momochi of the Village Hidden in the Mist, hereby request to be an ally of the leaf. I wish to aid you in times of peace and war, you need only ask. As proof of my commitment, I grant you my apprentice, Haku Momochi." Zabuza said, bowing slightly to the silver haired jonin. He then leaned in to where only Kakashi could hear him. "Keep her safe, I see now that she will be happy with the Uchiha boy, happier than I could make her on my own. I promise that we'll meet again, only next time it will be as allies." Zabuza said, a look of determination in his voice.

"Very well, I accept. Good luck, and may you find whatever it is you search for, friend." Kakashi said as he bowed back to the mist shinobi, a newfound respect for this new ally developing. Zabuza simply stepped back a few feet before fading away into the mist. Haku could only stare as his outline faded away before bursting into tears, Sasuke pulling her into his arms to try and soothe her. 'Time heals all wounds, trust me' Kakashi thought to himself as their group began the return trip to Tazuna's house.

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"Hinata, you're finally awake! I was so scared that I'd lose you forever, I thought I was going to go crazy." Naruto said happily as the Hyuuga girl finally opened her eyes, only to be caught in the warmest hug she'd ever received from a teary eyed Naruto. She returned the hug, enjoying the contact as much as he was.

"I'm fine Naruto; you didn't have to worry so much. How long was I out, a few hours?" Hinata asked, watching the look on Naruto's face go from worried to laughing in seconds.

"That's a good one, try over two days." Naruto said, watching Hinata go from content to shock. "I've had a lot of time to think in these two days, and I um…well, I really like you, and I think you really like me, and I know it's not the most romantic place, but…" Naruto stuttered out before Hinata silenced him by pressing a finger to his lips.

"Naruto, I would love to be your girlfriend." Hinata said sweetly, giggling as she saw him smile the widest she'd ever seen before.

"Really? Oh wow, this is great! I didn't think you'd actually say yes…" Naruto said before he was silenced again, this time by Hinata hugging him with crushing force.

"Naruto, sometimes you talk too much." Hinata said cutely as the two held each other, both sighing contently as they thought about how it only gets better from here.


	10. Chapter 9

**Of Foxes, Toads, and Ninja**

**A/N: Alright, chapter nine is here. I enjoyed writing this chapter almost as much as the last one. This chapter brings with it mostly character development, but I promise it's all important for the story. So, a couple people have asked me now why Jiraiya isn't a perve, Naruto isn't loud and obnoxious, and a few other things. I'm not disheartened at all, I appreciate all forms of criticism. What I want to say is that this chapter explains a little more into Naruto and Jiraiya's character differences, something I'm betting all of you will enjoy. So for now, kick back and read on!**

Copyright Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own any characters from said franchise. If I did…well I wouldn't be writing on here.

Chapter 9: Moving On

The next two weeks looking back felt like one really long day due to how busy the team kept themselves. Naruto had begun to work at the bridge with Tazuna, his shadow clones proving to be the best workers the bridge builder had worked with in a long time. Hinata seemed to enjoy Naruto working the bridge too since he constantly came home shirtless and sweat covered from a hard day's work.

Hinata spent most of those days in bed, recovering from her fight on the bridge with their newest ally. Despite Haku missing any vital spots on the girl, it still took a long time for her to recover completely. She wasn't completely frustrated though, as Naruto insisted he hold her as they slept every night, claiming it was to keep her from having any nightmares that would cause any further harm.

Sasuke and Haku had spent a lot of time to themselves over the two weeks they were there. Haku was only comfortable around the Uchiha, and even then she was still extremely sad from Zabuza leaving. Everyday Sasuke did his best to try and console her, and every night she always came home a little happier than before. He was also trying to convince her to spend more time around Naruto and Hinata, but progress on that front was slow at best.

Kakashi had multiple reports sent back to the Hokage, describing everything from how the mission had turned out to the turn of events with Zabuza and Haku. The most nerve wracking time for him during those couple weeks was waiting on an answer back about Haku staying with Sasuke and his mother. He had almost given up on hearing anything back when Pakkun, his ninja hound summon that had been serving as the messenger finally arrived on their last night.

"Good news everyone, I have just received word from the third Hokage stating that Haku is allowed to reside at the Uchiha residence as an "honored guest" of his family." Kakashi said, smiling under his mask as everyone at the table began cheering loudly for the girl. Even Sasuke, despite his normal calm attitude, let loose and cheered a few times, surprising everyone at the table besides Naruto.

'Ha, guy finally found a girl he can fight his heart out for, he looks at her the same way I look at Hinata' Naruto thought to himself, smiling as he saw the overjoyed look in his friend's eyes. That night felt like the longest as it continued late into the night, until the only people awake were Tazuna and Kakashi.

"You've got yourself a damn fine group of kids there Kakashi. I'm sad knowing that you'll be leaving tomorrow, but it also makes me proud to know that your team is going on to do bigger things than this, make a strong name for themselves." Tazuna said proudly, producing a bottle of Sake from a cabinet and pouring two glasses, Kakashi accepting his gratefully. "I've been saving this bottle since I started construction, told myself that I wouldn't touch a drop of it until the bridge was finished. I'm just glad I have someone to share it with." The old man said with a smile before the two downed their drinks.

"It's always better to drink with a friend. Your right though, this team is going to accomplish great things in the future. They all possess qualities that make them great, along with complimenting each other perfectly." Kakashi said before downing another drink, thinking back to a time when he had fought alongside an Uchiha. 'Obito, if only you could be here to see this' Kakashi thought to himself.

"Well, you won't be doing any great things in the near future if we keep drinking like this. Let's call it a night Kakashi, you and your team have to be up early tomorrow and I don't want to be so hung over that I miss it." Tazuna said before re capping the bottle of Sake and proceeding to his room.

'I suppose the old man is right' Kakashi admitted before going to his room as well. Despite how late it was, the silver haired jonin had trouble falling asleep that night.

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"All right, I see the village on the horizon! I bet all of you that I win getting there first!" Naruto yelled excitedly as he took off at a dash through the trees, the rest of the team chuckling as they watched the blonde go.

"I'll still beat you with a head start!" Sasuke yelled as he shot off, gaining on Naruto quickly. While the two boys hauled ass towards the village as fast as possible, Kakashi and the two girls were content to go at their own pace.

"I still don't understand what you see in him." Kakashi said jokingly to Hinata, the Hyuuga just giggling in response.

"Oh sensei, you can't get hung up on the loud mouth exterior he shows every now and then. The real Naruto is kind and caring, and that's what I see." Hinata said activating her blood line so she could watch the race.

"I totally beat you; don't even try to argue it!" Naruto said loudly while Sasuke continued to laugh to himself.

"Don't try to deny it, I pulled ahead last minute and you know it." Sasuke said calmly as the rest of the group caught up to them.

"Sorry Naruto, but I think Sasuke might have won this time." Hinata said, pointing to her eyes to show how she knew.

"But Hinata, you're supposed to be on my side!" Naruto said, trying to sound like a little kid while the rest of the group laughed at him.

"Enough fooling around, the Hokage is going to want a verbal report before we do any relaxing." Kakashi said, putting on a serious face as he led the team to the Hokage's tower.

"Sensei, didn't you already send him a bunch of reports? I don't see why we have to go." Naruto asked, annoyed that he wouldn't be able to get ramen now.

"Simple, we have to go because he asked us to." Kakashi replied, keeping the answer as simple as possible. 'Plus, he may have decided that now you should know about the fox, but that can stay a surprise' the jonin thought to himself, curious how the boy would handle the news.

"Relax Naruto; the ramen isn't going to go anywhere." Sasuke said, knowing exactly what his friend was after.

"You don't know that, what if something happened to Ichiraku's while we were gone?" Naruto muttered to himself, Hinata chuckling next to him when she heard it.

"If something did happen to it, then we'll just have to make ramen at your house." Hinata said to him, squeezing his hand affectionately. She knew exactly how to calm him down, watching as he finally relaxed. Now that he was calm, he seemed to be the only one able to ignore the stares coming from countless villagers they walked past.

"Sasuke, why do these people stare at him with such cold eyes?" Haku asked the Uchiha, walking closer to him in hopes to hide behind him.

"None of us know, and anyone that does know ignores the subject completely. Not even Naruto knows why, but he puts on a brave face and keeps his eyes forward." Sasuke said, feeling bad for his friend for constantly dealing with this. Haku could only look in awe at how brave he was, wondering how he had the will to keep going with his home village glaring at him.

"He truly is an inspiring person. Is that why your friends with him, because of his strength?" Haku asked, surprised when Sasuke just stared at the ground.

"I feel terrible about it, but when I first met him, that was exactly why I agreed to be friends with him. After a while though, I came to realize that there is a lot more to life than just becoming strong. You hang out with the kid for so long; you can't help but be friends with him." Sasuke said, his gloomy look slowly being replaced with a smile.

"Maybe there is a chance for us to be friends then. I only hope that your words hold true to everyone." Haku said quietly, guilt flooding her as she thought of her fight on the bridge with Hinata.

"Alright everybody, we're here." Kakashi said as they entered the Hokage's tower. His statement was more for Haku than anybody, but he wanted to make sure nobody had lost focus. The group proceeded up the staircase to the main office, knocking once before entering. "Team seven, here to report in." Kakashi announced as they all filed in, Sarutobi gesturing for them to take seats.

"Welcome back team, it sounds like you had quite the adventure out in wave country. Am I correct in assuming that you are Haku Momochi?" Sarutobi asked, gesturing to the newest addition to the squad.

"Yes Hokage, I am Haku Momochi of the mist. I am honored to be allowed in your presence." Haku said clearly before bowing deeply to the old man. Zabuza had taught her long ago that in the face of your superiors, you show confidence and clarity.

"Well, not only is she a powerful ninja, but she's extremely polite as well." Sarutobi said jokingly as he waved for her to go back to her seat. "Now that introductions are out of the way, I'm sure your all wondering why I called you here. I promise you it is for a good reason, it is also directly linked to you, Naruto." Sarutobi said, giving the young boy a look before proceeding. "Naruto is it true that you underwent a transformation at the bridge?" the Hokage asked calmly.

"Um yeah, the memory is weird though. I remember everything that happened, but it felt like I was seeing it through somebody else's eyes." Naruto said, confused as to why the Hokage was asking him about that.

"Well, I suppose that after an incident like that, it's time for you to learn the truth. Kakashi, you may leave if you like. However, I ask that you genin stay, I feel that as his team mates, you should be informed as well." Sarutobi said calmly as he lit up his pipe.

"If it's not a big deal, I'd like to stay as well. I feel I owe it to sensei to help inform his only son." Kakashi said in his usual cool manner, catching Naruto's attention.

"Wait a minute, you studied under my father?" Naruto asked, now even more confused than before. Not only did he have a sharingan despite not having Uchiha blood, but he was one of his father's students and didn't tell him.

"Yes, but like I told Sasuke, it's a story for another time." Kakashi replied, knowing that now wasn't the time or place to discuss his time spent with Obito and Minato.

"Fine, but don't think I'm going to forget." Naruto said, secretly praying that he didn't forget.

"As I was saying, you were born on October tenth almost thirteen years ago. Can anyone tell me what other significant event's happened on that date?" Sarutobi asked, not surprised when Sasuke and Hinata both raised their hands. 'Of course they know, the Hyuuga and the Uchiha have been allies with the Namikaze for a long time now' the third thought to himself. What did surprise him though was when Haku raised her hand. "Haku, please tell me what you know about that date."

"Hokage, I learned many things from Zabuza. One thing he told me was that every October tenth, he paid his respects to a powerful ninja from the leaf that had died to stop a monster. Whenever I questioned him further though, he merely stated that the ninja was known as the Yellow Flash, a man that is considered to be the fastest man to ever live." Haku said, saddened at the mention of her master. She maintained her composure though as she took a seat, Sasuke giving her hand a slight squeeze for comfort.

"Zabuza always was a man to respect though of great power, so it's not surprising that he paid his respects to a man that could kill faster than him." Kakashi said, thinking of days when his sensei could take down his entire team in seconds.

"This is interesting information; I'm glad that you shared this with us Haku. Sasuke, Hinata, how about you share your knowledge with us now." Sarutobi said, gesturing for the two children to speak. Sasuke rose first, seeming almost eager to talk.

"Well, it's been passed down through the family that on October tenth, a great ally of the Uchiha, the fourth Hokage, gave his life to protect the village. We kids were never told his name or what he defeated, only that his passing had been a terrible tragedy for the leaf village. As I got older and when I had much more time on my hands, I did some research, only to find that most information on the incident had seemingly disappeared." Sasuke said, still curious to this day why all the information was gone.

"You always were a motivated individual, even as a young child. As for why the information was gone, the specifics of that night were kept a tightly guarded secret by the elders of this village, hence why you were unable to find anything." Sarutobi replied, hoping his answer to be sufficient for the Uchiha boy. It was then that Hinata rose, her hand never leaving Naruto's hand.

"Hokage, my father passed down the story of what happened to me many years ago. He told me that a powerful ally and close friend of the clan had given his life to keep us safe by defeating the worst thing the village has ever seen. I always wondered why he kept the details vague, but I think I'm starting to piece things together. The great tragedy that struck the village, the fourth Hokage, and Naruto are all related somehow." Hinata said, desperately trying to find out what else they shared in common besides the date and the fact that the fourth Hokage was Naruto's father.

"Once again, the logic and problem solving skills that the Hyuuga clan possesses amaze me. Well, tonight I am here to clarify as much as possible. Before I begin though, what you are about to learn is not to be discussed with anybody that does not already know. Is that understood?" Sarutobi asked, his face containing a seriousness the genin had never seen before.

"We understand." they all answered in unison, Sarutobi taking a puff of his pipe before proceeding.

"Very well, I shall proceed. Naruto, the night you were born, the nine-tailed fox attacked the hidden leaf village. We were caught off guard, as there were no factors indicating an attack otherwise. We fought hard and we fought well, but the fox was too powerful. Eventually though, the fourth Hokage drove back the man that had summoned the fox here, using his special technique to teleport the fox miles away. The fourth, you know him as Minato Namikaze, your father. Jiraiya insisted that you know the truth about him from an early age so you wouldn't feel as though they left you on purpose. He did want to keep the truth about the fox from you though, at least until you made chunin. However, nobody had thought that something like what happened at the bridge would occur, so he agreed with me in telling you the truth now." Sarutobi said, pausing to let the blonde voice the opinion he had been holding in.

"What do you mean he kept a secret from me? Jiraiya always told me about how my dad sacrificed himself to destroy a great monster. He told me he used a seal to do it, although it was a seal that cost him his life. That story is one of the reasons why I want to master sealing so bad! My dad used a seal to save an entire village, which by itself should be enough to make anybody learn how to seal!" Naruto blurted out, some of his confusion being replaced with anger. Why would the old man try telling him that his godfather had lied to him?

"I'm afraid that he kept part of the truth from you, although you mustn't be too angry. He didn't feel that you were ready for it yet." Sarutobi said, wincing slightly at the fury that radiated from the blonde. "However, it was not only myself, but him as well that decided you learn tonight." The Hokage said, hoping that it would abate some of the kid's anger.

"Well, get on with it then!" Naruto nearly shouted, Hinata and Sasuke both surprised at how blatantly disrespectful he was being. The Hokage merely shook it off as he puffed on his pipe, breathing deeply before proceeding.

"Naruto, the seal your father used was one of his own designs, one that was so intricate that the only people capable of replicating it would be Jiraiya and possibly me, though it would be difficult. The jutsu he used in unison with the seal though was a forbidden jutsu, one that is lethal to both the attacked and the attacker. When the jutsu was finished, the fox had been sealed away in the body of a newborn child. You see, the fox's chakra is so massive that it needed an undeveloped chakra system to bind too, the seal acting as a means of channeling the fox's chakra throughout the body. Can you guess who that child was?" Sarutobi asked, Naruto suddenly realizing what he was implying. All of his anger faded in an instant, replaced by confusion instead.

"So, you're telling me that my father used a suicidal seal to turn his only son into a demon?" Naruto asked, his voice emotionless. Hinata, Haku, and Sasuke could only watch in shock, surprised by the sudden revelation about their friend.

"Not at all Naruto, your father sealed the fox inside you so that you could contain the beast and someday master its chakra. He had wished for you to be treated as a hero, as the one that would keep the demon at bay forever. Fate is cruel though, and I wish that things could be different. The villagers only saw you as a monster, their judgment clouded by fear. It was then that Jiraiya stated that he would raise you away from the village, returning when you were old enough to become a ninja." Sarutobi said, watching as the young boy took everything in. Finally, Naruto looked at him, a new determination in his voice.

"Hokage, thank you for telling me this, I feel like it explains so many things. I'm going to go find Jiraiya though; I have some questions for him." Naruto said calmly before leaving the room. Nobody attempted to stop him, they knew he wouldn't rest until he got at least some answers.

"Sarutobi, I'm going to leave as well. Team, I'll see you in the morning, including you Haku." Kakashi said before he disappeared in a puff of smoke, the jonin heading towards the memorial stone on the outskirts of the village.

"Well, now you know the truth about your friend. I cannot make you think anything, but I hope that you won't let this knowledge change the way you feel about him." Sarutobi said calmly, snapping the three genin from the daze they were in. Hinata was quick to speak up though.

"Hokage, there is nothing you could tell me about Naruto that would make me love him with anything less than my whole heart. I just wish that I could have known earlier, I would have been there more." Hinata said, her heart swelling with determination to stand beside her boyfriend no matter what. She turned around to see Sasuke and Haku standing as well.

"Naruto is my best friend, and knowing that he has this incredible burden to bear only makes me realize how strong he truly is. No matter what, I will always fight with him. Besides, I trust him with my back more than anybody." Sasuke said, hoping Hinata wouldn't be upset by his last comment.

"I do not know him well, but I have seen how fiercely he fights for those precious to him. I believe that were he actually a demon, he would be much different." Haku said, not knowing much else to say about the boy. She still didn't know him well, but she had learned through his actions that the blonde would give his life for his friends.

"It makes an old man proud to see the strength of character in you young shinobi. You are welcome to leave now, but I believe that you should wait to talk to your friend until tomorrow." Sarutobi said, signaling for the genin to leave. He was surprised when he noticed the Hyuuga girl made no move to leave. "Something on your mind, Hinata?"

"Hokage, I was just wondering why you think he transformed when he did? I can't think of anything that would trigger it, he hadn't been hit very hard or often during the fight." Hinata said, Sarutobi chuckling at what the Hyuuga couldn't see.

"Dear, I believe that you were what triggered it. The way he feels for you is so intense, that the thought of losing you drove him to the edge. He may seem blind when it comes to his feelings sometimes, but know that you are his greatest strength. I believe that keeping you safe is his biggest motivator to get strong." Sarutobi said with a smile while he watched the Hyuuga girl turn a deep shade of red.

"T-thank you, Hokage." Hinata stuttered out before taking her leave, shocked while at the same time ecstatic at hearing the Hokage's opinion. She waited to calm down a little before going home; preparing herself for the interrogation she was bound to receive from her father.

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"Jiraiya, I'm back." Naruto called out as he entered the Namikaze estate, the Sannin looking up at him from the seals he had been working on.

"I assume that you've talked to the Hokage then." Jiraiya stated calmly as he watched his godson sit down across the table from him.

"Yes, I now know about the fox and why my father died now. At first, I was really angry that you had kept something like that from me. Even now, I'm still questioning if that was the only thing you've kept from me." Naruto said, doing his best to keep his anger in check as he watched guilt flash across his godfather's face, confirming that there were more secrets he had been keeping from him. Before he could begin yelling though, Jiraiya spoke up.

"Kid, I wish more than anything that I didn't have to keep secrets from you, especially about your father. But understand that you weren't ready to know, not yet anyway. I do have a couple things I feel I can tell you now though, if you want to hear them." Jiraiya said, knowing that his godson wouldn't be able to resist the offer.

"Fine, but they better be good secrets!" Naruto said, trying to mask the excitement in his voice with anger.

"Their good alright, secrets I've been waiting to tell you until you knew about the fox. Now the first one is a technique that your father invented, which he later taught to me." Jiraiya said, holding his palm out in front of him. Naruto watched excitedly as a small ball of swirling chakra formed in the palm of his hand, spinning quickly in multiple directions while retaining its shape. "This is rasengan, a technique that is unique to Minato Namikaze and me. Normally, he'd be the one to teach you this, but you'll have to make do with the teachings of the mighty toad sage!" Jiraiya said loudly, his godson smiling at him in response.

"Alright, that looks pretty badass and all, but what's the second thing you wanted to say?" Naruto asked, excited to be getting an opportunity to learn his father's technique.

"Ah, that is something entirely different from rasengan. What I'm about to tell you about is what gave your father his nickname of 'The Yellow Flash'." Jiraiya said before pulling out an oddly shaped kunai that had an odd seal on the hilt. "This is one of the special kunai your father used, something very rare to find. This was one that he had given to me in case he ever needed to reach me quickly, but I'm passing it on to you. You see, what makes it special isn't the way it looks, but the seal it holds." Jiraiya said while he handed the kunai to Naruto, the blonde boy intrigued by the knife.

"Godfather, what's so special about the seal?" Naruto asked, seeing the characters but not understanding what they truly meant.

"I'll be honest with you kid, I don't know. Nobody but Minato was ever able to do the technique that seal is used for, The Flying Thunder God jutsu. I can teach you the hand signs, but unless you figure out how the seal works and how to replicate it, I'm afraid that kunai is just another knife." Jiraiya said, wishing he was able to help his godson more.

"Sensei, I'm very grateful for the knowledge that you have bestowed upon me. I'm sorry for getting angry at you over something that I shouldn't have. I…" Naruto said, only to be cut off by Jiraiya waving his hand at him.

"Kid, you had every right to be a little angry with me. When I first took you in, I had to make some decisions then that I knew would be to help better you as a person, keeping the nine tails a secret being one of many. Did you know that I used to not only drink heavily, but also whore around with beautiful young women?" Jiraiya said, smirking at memories long before Naruto where he'd get drunk and fool around with whoever he pleased, not caring about any consequences that might follow.

"But sensei, you always seemed so calm, almost shy whenever we'd travel through towns. That and I don't think I saw you touch alcohol more than a handful of times before we came here." Naruto said, shocked at what he was hearing.

"I was like that on purpose. You are truly the spitting image of your father, and with the title unfortunately come his enemies. I didn't do anything that would draw any more attention to us than necessary for a reason. Why do you think I constantly hammered you about not doing things like pulling pranks and being loud or obnoxious?" Jiraiya asked the blonde, his eyes opening wide as he realized how much his godfather had done to protect him.

"Did my father really have that many enemies?" Naruto asked, the question being the first thing that came to mind to ask.

"Kid, in earth country your father was labeled as an S+ ranked ninja in their bingo book. He had a retreat on sight order on his head, the Tsuchikage knowing he would need an army to take him down." Jiraiya said, laughing at the look on his godson's face. "Anyway, my point is that I made a lot of changes to my lifestyle to help you survive, along with raising you to be a better man. I felt that keeping a few secrets from you if it meant you staying alive was a fair price to pay." Jiraiya said, his face serious again.

"Godfather, I had no idea…" Naruto replied quietly, tears springing from his eyes when he realized how much the toad sage had done for him.

"I did what I felt was right, and I can honestly say that I don't regret any of the decisions I've made when it comes to you. Come on, let's go outside. I'll show you the first step to rasengan." Jiraiya said cheerfully as he walked out the door, Naruto following close behind.

"Jiraiya, thank you for everything. Words can't really describe how grateful I truly am, but know that I really do appreciate all that you've done." Naruto said, his tears replaced with a smile. Jiraiya smiled back before he showed him the trick to focusing chakra in his palm, the two now focused on the task at hand.

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"Alright team, I'm glad that you're all here. The Hokage has informed me that the C ranked mission to wave country was changed to an A rank, so you will all be paid accordingly." Kakashi said, pausing while his team cheered. "Anyway, the real reason I'm here is because you have all been given two weeks to do whatever you please. I would strongly recommend training at least a little bit. Let's just say that if things go my way, I'll have a nice surprise for you at the end of these two weeks." Kakashi said before disappearing in a puff of smoke, leaving the genin to ponder his words.

"Alright, two whole weeks off! You'd better believe that I'll be training my ass off!" Naruto yelled, excited at the prospect of having all that time to practice the rasengan. He'd learned the hand signs for Flying Thunder God, but the seal continued to baffle him.

"Yeah, I'm sure that whatever sensei has planned is going to be something worth training for." Sasuke said, his mind already running through possible scenarios that the silver haired jonin had planned.

"Of course we'll all be training, I figured that much. I think we should have some fun though while we have time. It's not often we get two uninterrupted weeks to do anything we want." Hinata said, winking at Naruto as she finished her statement. The blonde turned incredibly red at that point, finding the ground more interesting to look at than his lavender eyed girlfriend.

"Well, I for one would like to explore the village. Sasuke, would you show me around?" Haku asked, looking incredibly innocent and cute as she flashed a pair of big blue eyes at the Uchiha.

"Um, yeah, I can do that if you want…" Sasuke stuttered out, using all his willpower to keep from turning bright red. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't keep a slight blush from spreading across his face, something his friends noticed and planned on taking full advantage of.

"Hey Sasuke, you want to come train with me today? It's been a long time since we've sparred with sensei, and some guy time sounds like a great way to kick off the vacation!" Naruto said excitedly, saving his friend from further embarrassment.

"Naruto, you know I'm always ready to kick your ass training." Sasuke said with a grin before the two took off, the Uchiha silently thanking him.

"I swear, those two are going to be competing against each other until their too old to train." Hinata said, giggling as she watched her best guy friend and boyfriend sprint of towards the Namikaze residence.

"So this is normal for them?" Haku asked shyly, realizing that she had a lot to learn about her new friends.

"Yeah, at least as long as I've known them anyway. But since those two will be busy until at least sunset, would you like to come hang out with me for the day?" Hinata asked, hoping she could try making friends with Haku.

"I would like that very much Hinata." Haku said before bowing, Hinata giggling at how polite she was. "What do you find funny?" Haku asked, confused why she was giggling at her.

"Haku, you don't need to be so formal around me, I'm surrounded by enough formality at home as it is. When we're with friends, you can be comfortable." Hinata said as the two walked off towards the village, Haku taking in what she said with a serious look on her face. After a while, she finally spoke up, not wanting the silence to become awkward.

"Where are we going Hinata?" Haku asked, curious where the Hyuuga was leading her.

"I figured we could just wander around the village for the day, unless you wanted to do something different." Hinata replied, smiling at the girl as she tried to get her to feel more relaxed.

"No, that sounds just great to me, friend." Haku said, returning the smile as the two girls walked towards the village. Haku still didn't understand how Hinata was so forgiving, but she wasn't about to question it now.


	11. Chapter 10

**Of Foxes, Toads, and Ninja**

**A/N: Hoo-yah chapter ten! The newest addition brings with it a chapter of fluff, training, and even more fluff! But don't fret, my dear readers, for after this chapter, the main plot will continue to go on! So, had someone review stating that they didn't like Hinata crushing on Naruto. I wasn't frustrated at all by the comment, but I would like to say that the summary states that this story is a NaruHina one. Regardless, all forms of feedback and favorites and whatever else you do is always appreciated. So now, feel free to continue reading about the lives of Naruto and friends! **

Copyright Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own any characters from said franchise. If I did…well I wouldn't be writing on here.

Chapter 10: Finally, Some Down Time

"This village is so big, bigger than even the mist village!" Haku said as she and Hinata walked down a large street in the middle of town.

"It is pretty big, not to mention that more than a few clans have major compounds as well." Hinata replied, never realizing before just how big the hidden leaf village truly was.

"I've noticed that without Naruto around, the people here seem very friendly. It is truly amazing that these people can look at him with such hatred only to be extremely friendly the rest of the time." Haku said, remembering what it was like in her old village to be hated for something that wasn't your fault.

"Want to hear something completely ironic? Despite what these people think, Naruto's dream is to become Hokage so he can protect them." Hinata said, her heart swelling with pride for her boyfriend.

"That may sound odd to most people, but after seeing the way he fights for others, I am not surprised." Haku replied quickly, seeing firsthand just how passionate the boy was.

"Damn Hinata, I haven't seen you in a minute! And who's your friend?" a familiar voice called out from behind them, snapping them out of the daze they had been walking in.

"Oh, hello Kiba, it has been awhile. How have you been since becoming a genin?" Hinata asked, trying to be as polite as possible while the Inuzuka just stared at the two girls.

"Hinata, is this is friend of yours?" Haku asked, feeling a little uncomfortable at how this new arrival was eyeing her.

"Yeah, we go way back! I've known her since we started the academy four years ago! I'm Kiba Inuzuka by the way, and it is very nice to meet you." Kiba said, trying to sound cool as he reached out to shake Haku's hand.

'Yeah, we've known each other; too bad you never spoke a word to me until Naruto got here' Hinata thought to herself, wanting more than anything to tell him off.

"Greetings Kiba, my name is Haku Momochi. I'm new to this village, and I guess it's nice to meet you too." Haku replied, trying to be as nice as possible. 'This boy is being very nice to me, perhaps it is because of how I look' the girl thought to herself.

"Haku eh, well I for one think that you have quite a beautiful name." Kiba replied, doing his best to try and woo this newcomer. 'Damn, this girl is hot! She's got to be older to; she makes Ino look like a little girl' Kiba thought to himself as he took in the girls form. It just happened to be that today Haku had set aside her normal battle attire for something more comfortable while they weren't training. She had worn an off white sundress that hung to around her knees and let her hair down as well, choosing to leave her headband at the Uchiha's for now.

"Sorry Kiba, but if Sasuke heard you talking to his friend like this, he'd come at you with everything he's got." Hinata said, signaling that his attempts at flirting with her were over.

"Yeah, well what the hell does that chump have to do with this? You're not jealous are you Hinata, because don't think for a second that I had forgotten about you." Kiba said, winking at the Hyuuga while he talked.

"Excuse me? Are you forgetting that a certain blonde already has me?" Hinata said, smiling giddily at the thought of her Naruto.

"Give me a break; I'm way better than he is, not to mention I can be quite the animal when I need to be." Kiba said, winking again at the Hyuuga again as she caught on to what he was saying. Haku however, did not understand what he had said, and chose then to intervene.

"I'm sorry Kiba, but however much of an animal you claim to be, I guarantee you that Naruto has ten times the ability." Haku said innocently, confused when Kiba's jaw dropped and Hinata palmed her face.

"Um Haku, I don't think he was talking about that…" Hinata muttered, silently laughing at how clueless the girl actually was.

"How would you know about something like that? Man Hinata, better put your man on a tighter leash…" Kiba said while laughing before Hinata very quickly suppressed the chakra in his legs with two perfect strikes, causing the boy to fall to the ground. Luckily, Akamaru hadn't been around to accidentally get fallen on.

"We'll be seeing you around Kiba." Hinata said sweetly as the two girls walked away from him, leaving him to find a way to un paralyze his legs.

"Fuck man, wonder what I said to piss her off?" Kiba asked his dog, who had just wandered back. Akamaru merely barked at him as the two sat there. Kiba wouldn't be leaving anytime soon anyway.

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"Come on, is that all you two can do?" Jiraiya yelled at the two genin facing him. Both were breathing heavy and sweating profusely, proof of the fact that they had been sparring with the Sannin all day.

"I can't think of anything new we could use against him." Sasuke said, mentally and physically exhausted from the fighting.

"No way am I about to just give up, there's got to be something we can do!" Naruto said, refusing to admit defeat yet. They had managed to land a few good hits on the toad sage, but he continued to wear them down as the fight drug on.

"Well whatever we're going to do, we better do it quick. He's nowhere near as tired as we are, I'm betting the longer this fight goes on the worse we get." Sasuke replied, thinking of anything they could use against their opponent.

"Time's up." Jiraiya whispered from behind them before knocking both of them off their feet with a sweeping quick. He then held a kunai to each of their throats, chuckling at his victory.

"But sensei, how the hell did you get behind us so quickly?" Naruto yelled in frustration, the toad sage laughing even harder.

"Man, you kids were so wrapped up in your thoughts that I could have set off paper bombs and you wouldn't notice! All I did was sneak behind you guys and…." Jiraiya said before he was cut off by two kunai being pressed to his throat from behind him. He turned slightly to see a chuckling Sasuke holding the kunai. Looking back down, he saw that the other Sasuke was actually a Naruto shadow clone and that both Naruto's were laughing at him now.

"You lose, this time anyway." Sasuke said with a grin while Jiraiya raised his hands in defeat, his smile still never leaving his face.

"Damn, just when I think you kids are down for the count, you use a simple diversion to lure me in and bam! I've got to admit, that was impressive." Jiraiya said proudly, the two boys smiling at him in unison.

"You really think so sensei?!" Naruto yelled excitedly while Sasuke helped him up, momentarily deafening him. Ever since he and Hinata finally became a couple, Naruto had been more expressive, causing him to get loud when he was excited about something.

"I do, but don't get cocky on me now. Just remember that I didn't use any life threatening techniques against you." Jiraiya said, serious again. 'That, and I might have held back, but that's beside the point' the toad sage thought to himself.

"Yeah, I know. Still, I can't help but be excited at how much stronger we're getting!" Naruto replied, his spirit far from crushed. Sasuke couldn't help but agree with him.

"He's right Jiraiya, we have gotten stronger. I just hope that we're strong enough for whatever surprise Kakashi has in mind." Sasuke said, his mind once again going back to thinking of possibilities.

'I suppose it's about that time, is he thinking of signing them up for the chunin exams' Jiraiya thought to himself, not a doubt in his mind that his godson's team was more than ready.

"I know that look godfather, you know something don't you." Naruto asked the toad sage, who was shocked that his godson had been able to read him so quickly. Sasuke turned to look at him as well, hoping that Naruto hadn't been kidding.

"I won't completely ruin the surprise, but if it's what I think it is, then I hope your team is ready for quite the challenge." Jiraiya said, smirking at the curious looks on the two boys' faces.

"Sensei, our team is ready for anything!" Naruto replied back confidently, no doubt at all about the success his team would have.

"Well, I hope that you maintain that confidence throughout any challenges thrown your way." The toad sage replied back. The three walked back to the house before Sasuke finally said anything.

"So Jiraiya, since we won today, you're treating us to dinner right?" the Uchiha asked, Naruto immediately piggybacking on what his best friend said.

"Yeah godfather, you should take us to Ichiraku's for victory ramen!" Naruto yelled out, his mouth already watering at the idea of his favorite food. The two genin looked up at Jiraiya, trying to look as pleading as possible.

"Fine, but only because you impressed me with that little stunt you pulled." Jiraiya said, trying to sound unexcited. He had to be honest with himself though, he enjoyed ramen almost as much as Naruto did.

"Alright!" the two genin yelled before taking off at a sprint towards the ramen shack, racing to see who would get there first.

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"So Haku, did you enjoy yourself today?" Hinata asked as the two walked at a leisurely pace towards Ichiraku's. They had decided to go there for dinner as soon as Haku had admitted to never having ramen before.

"Today was one of the most enjoyable days I've ever had Hinata, thank you for asking." Haku said happily. The two had explored most of the village today after their brief run in with Kiba, and she was surprised at how much fun she had with the Hyuuga. The two had become good friends over the course of a day.

"I had a great time to. It's nice to have a girl to hang out with now, especially one that gets along with my guy friends!" Hinata said, her words filled with joy at the thought of how perfect things had been since the bridge. The two continued walking, chatting about a number of things before nearly being run over by two ninja that were running extremely fast. The two turned into Ichiraku's when Hinata noticed a familiar ninja walking in the same direction.

"Jiraiya, were those two ninja running away from you?" Hinata asked, confused as to who they were and also concerned as to why they were running so fast. Jiraiya couldn't help but laugh before answering the girl.

"Ha, if you're really so curious, why don't you go talk to the two of them. I'm sure they made it to Ichiraku's by now." Jiraiya replied, not wanting to spoil the surprise for the girls. 'So, this is the Haku that captured Sasuke's attention' the Sannin thought to himself, making sure he remembered exactly who she was and what she looked like.

"Um, ok?" Hinata answered, now even more confused than before. The two girls bowed before continuing their walk towards Ichiraku's, going at a much quicker pace than before.

"Hinata, who was that man?" Haku asked, curious why her new friend knew someone that appeared to be even older than Zabuza and Kakashi.

"Oh him, that's Jiraiya of the Legendary Sannin. He's Naruto's godfather, the two live together over at the Namikaze compound." Hinata replied, completely forgetting that Haku had never met the toad sage before.

"Naruto is the godson of one of the three?" Haku asked, shocked once again by the blonde. Hinata simply nodded it off, thinking nothing of it. The two were right outside of Ichiraku's now, debating who would go first.

"I think you should go inside first Hinata, me being new and all." Haku told her friend, trying to look innocent and helpless.

"Fine, but only because your new." Hinata said, sighing as she opened the curtain to walk inside…only for her face to now be inches from a certain blonde boy that was standing on the ceiling.

"Ha, Jiraiya I won and…" Naruto yelled before realizing it wasn't his godfather in front of him, but his lavender eyed girlfriend whose face was only inches from his. The heat rose to his face quickly as his breath caught in his throat, his eyes never leaving hers. 'It would be so easy, just walking a couple steps closer' the blonde thought nervously, not knowing that Hinata had been thinking the same thing while her face matched the same color red his was. Haku had walked over to take a seat next to Sasuke while the two simply watched, neither wanting to say anything that would ruin the moment.

"So, who won?" Jiraiya asked as he walked in, snapping the couple out of the haze they were in. It was then that he noticed how red his godson's and Hinata's faces were as they went to take a seat next to each other at the bar.

"Jiraiya, believe it or not Naruto actually won, turns out the kid moves even faster than me if ramen is involved." Sasuke said lightly, hoping that Naruto and Hinata would join them mentally.

"Really, well I guess I've learned a new way to help get him faster. Hate to break it to you kid, but speed isn't exactly your strong suit." The Sannin chuckled, Naruto finally snapping out of his Hinata induced stupor to glare at him.

"I'm plenty fast Sensei and I'm only going to get faster!" Naruto yelled angrily, the whole restaurant laughing at his response.

"Well, you won't get any faster on an empty stomach kid, and neither will anybody else, so let's eat." Jiraiya said as bowls of delicious smelling ramen were served to the group.

"So Haku, what did you and Hinata do today?" Sasuke asked, feeling a little guilty that he had run off on her today. The smile that lit her face up was enough to make up for it though.

"Today has been a great one Sasuke! Hinata took me sightseeing around the village; I got to watch Hinata take down this boy named Kiba that called me beautiful, and we just walked around talking about stuff we like." Haku said excitedly, her face glowing with happiness.

"I'm glad you had a great time, although I think I'll need to talk to Kiba though, that little Inuzuka bastard…" Sasuke replied, causing everyone but Haku to laugh.

"What's wrong with what he said Sasuke; do you not think I'm beautiful?" Haku asked, confused why Sasuke was mad at the boy complimenting her.

"No it's not that at all, I think you're extremely beautiful. I just don't like hearing about dog boy calling you that…" Sasuke said quietly, Haku blushing deeply at his compliment.

"Ah, I wouldn't worry about him Sasuke. Not only are you better than him, it turns out he frightens easy if you really intimidate him." Naruto said, thinking of the time he scared the shit out of him with his shadow clones.

"Even without all that, he really isn't very charming. Nothing to get worked up over anyway." Hinata said, giving Sasuke a look that said 'trust me' while squeezing her boyfriend's hand affectionately.

"Man, all you kids are mean, I'm sure the young Inuzuka will grow up eventually. Besides, he's a fellow genin and ally to you guys, odds are you'll fight alongside him eventually." Jiraiya said, hoping to get the kids to realize that petty differences should be ignored.

"I agree with Jiraiya. Even though the boy seems to compliment every girl he meets based only on how they look, you still belong to the same village as him. I believe that he may even have potential to be powerful if he fought for the right reasons." Haku said, her wisdom baffling Jiraiya along with the other genin.

'Damn, she's beautiful, strong, caring, and she's smart to' Sasuke thought to himself excitedly, beyond happy at how lucky he was to have met her.

"I guess maybe you have a point. For now though, let there be ramen!" Naruto yelled as he started into his third bowl, Jiraiya sighing as he thought of how empty his wallet would be at the end of the night.

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"I hope you had a good first day off, Hinata." Naruto said as he stood with his girlfriend outside the gate to the Hyuuga compound. The group had eaten an abhorrent amount of ramen, and the genin could have sworn that they saw Jiraiya tear up as he paid the bill. After that, Sasuke and Haku went back to the Uchiha compound for the evening, while Jiraiya had told Naruto that he'd meet him at the Namikaze compound as Naruto walked Hinata home.

"It was great; I finally have a female friend that gets along with you and Sasuke. Of course, seeing you tonight only made it better." Hinata said sweetly as she embraced Naruto in a big hug, Naruto returning the embrace.

"Yeah, I'm sorry if I embarrassed you though earlier." Naruto said, Hinata staring at him confused. "You know, when we almost…" the blonde mumbled out, causing Hinata to blush even more. She leaned away from him slightly to look him in his gorgeous blue eyes, once again admiring how breathtaking they were.

"Naruto, I promise you I wasn't embarrassed. If I'm being completely honest, I was hoping you'd lean in and do it." Hinata said softly, giggling at the excited look in his eye.

"REALLY?!" the blonde screamed out excitedly. "Shit, I mean…you really wanted me to?" Naruto asked, making sure he had just heard her correctly. The Hyuuga nodded in response as her eyes flashed between his eyes and lips, a dreamy look in her eye. It was then that the blonde took the dive and leaned in, kissing her for the first time. The kiss was gentle and sweet, but full of passion and raw, unbridled emotion at the same time. Finally leaning back for air, the two could only stare at each other in admiration.

"Wow Naruto, that was so…wow." Hinata mumbled as she stared at the boy that held her heart. For her, that kiss was everything she had thought it would be and more, more incredible than any fantasy or day dream she'd ever had. The blonde could only nod in response as a multitude of thoughts ran through his head, the most prominent one being that no girl would ever look the same again compared to his Hinata. "Um, I hate to have to do this, but I'm sure my father is expecting me now. We'll meet up tomorrow though if you want." Hinata said, Naruto finally finding his voice again.

"Yeah, that sounds like a great idea, just come to my house tomorrow morning." Naruto said rather quickly, his mind racing a mile a minute.

"I'll see you tomorrow then." Hinata said softly as she leaned in for one last kiss, this one not as long but nearly just as passionate. Waving goodbye, she walked through the front gate, not caring that she had a ridiculously big smile on her face.

"YEAH, I'M THE LUCKIEST GUY IN THE WORLD!" Naruto yelled as he ran down the street towards his home, not caring who heard. Hinata giggled as she listened to her easily excitable boyfriend's voice fade as he left, feeling just as lucky as he did.

"Good evening Hinata, welcome home. Did you have a good day?" Hiashi asked as he greeted his daughter at the door. He had seen what had happened with his Byakugan, but he couldn't be angry as he saw just how happy his daughter was.

"Oh father, good doesn't begin to describe how great it was." Hinata yelled as she hugged him fiercely before running to her room, her smile never getting any smaller.

"I am glad to see you this happy, my daughter." Hiashi mumbled as he watched her go, thinking to himself about how nice such a positive attitude was. 'I suppose I can get used to this, the boy's just lucky I like him' Hiashi thought to himself with a chuckle before entering his room for the evening.

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"Come in!" Naruto yelled as he heard a knock on the door, wondering who would be here this early. It was a little after seven, and he was still in his boxers while he ate some breakfast when he heard a knock at the door. He nearly fell out of his chair when Hinata walked in, her face quickly turning red when she saw her boyfriend wasn't dressed. "Ah, just one second, I'll get some clothes on!" Naruto stammered out quickly while he sprinted to his room.

'He's so muscular, and his abs looked like a perfectly chiseled statue' Hinata thought to herself excitedly as she took a seat at the table. It wasn't long before Naruto walked back out, now wearing a pair of black shorts and an orange and black v neck shirt.

"Sorry about that Hinata, I just wasn't expecting you to be here this early." Naruto said as he took a seat next to her, kissing her on the cheek before finishing his breakfast.

"Don't worry about it Naruto, I didn't mind." Hinata replied before giggling, causing the blonde to blush slightly. "So what are we doing today?" the Hyuuga asked. Right before Naruto could answer though, Jiraiya walked out.

"Well, you two are going to be practicing some more extreme chakra control exercises. Naruto here needs to work on mastering the new jutsu I taught him, where you're going to be applying your already great chakra control into a more advanced gentle fist style. I've already talked with Hiashi, and you'll be coming here for the rest of the week at around the same time each morning." Jiraiya said, Hinata realizing why her father had rushed her out so early this morning now.

"Naruto, did you know about this?" Hinata asked, wondering why he hadn't brought it up earlier.

"Well, Jiraiya had just come up with the idea yesterday, so at first I wanted to tell you after ramen. But I sort of lost my train of thought last night, I'm lucky I was even able to remember to ask you to come over this morning. I didn't think it'd be this early though." Naruto answered, his face extremely red as he remembered the feel of her lips pressed against his.

"Kid, you feeling alright? How the hell did your face turn so red so quickly?" Jiraiya asked, grinning when he noticed Hinata's face was a matching shade of red. 'Ah, the wonders of young love' the toad sage thought to himself before clearing his throat, catching both kid's attention. "Anyway, the important thing is that Hiashi knows, you know, and we can get started shortly." Jiraiya said before walking outside. Naruto finished breakfast quickly before the two ran outside to meet him.

"So should I just get back to practicing part one then?" Naruto asked as he walked over to the lake where a pile of water balloons lie. Jiraiya nodded in response before turning his attention to the Hyuuga.

"So Hinata, you already know that gentle fist is a style of taijutsu that works by pushing small amounts of chakra through the chakra points in your hands when you strike an opponent, right?" the toad sage asked, Hinata nodding. "Well, part one of what we're going to work on is using gentle fist style whenever you kick to. You're flexible and quick in close quarters, so being able to use the chakra points in your lower legs and feet will give you much more variety to the style." Jiraiya told the girl, her mind already thinking of the possibilities this training would open up. "Now, what I want you to practice right now is simply releasing bursts of chakra out of the points in your legs, got it?" Jiraiya asked, Hinata nodding excitedly. "Good, I'm going back inside then. The kid knows when you're allowed to take a lunch break, so just wait for him to let you know." Jiraiya said as he walked back into the house, Hinata getting into her fighting stance.

'This is more difficult than I thought' Hinata thought to herself, two hours having gone by since she first started. Originally, she assumed it would be as simple as when she used the chakra points in her hands. It didn't take long though for her to realize just how uncoordinated she was with her leg's chakra points. 'Naruto looks like he's making progress over there' she said silently to herself as she looked over to watch her boyfriend do whatever he was doing. He had a water balloon in one hand while he touched it in multiple spots with the other, causing the balloon to burst in a matter of seconds.

"Yes, I think I finally have it!" Naruto yelled excitedly as he ran into the house, Hinata using the time to take a break as well. She was surprisingly tired despite the lack of physical movement, mostly due to her constantly pushing chakra out. She stood back up when Jiraiya walked outside, carrying with him a bucket of small rubber balls.

"Alright kid, so you can pop a water balloon now with your chakra. You've learned the first step to rasengan, focusing the chakra and getting it to rotate. The second part though should prove to be much more difficult. These balls are much tougher than the balloons, so you're going to have to get the chakra rotating much faster." Jiraiya said as he picked up the rubber ball, holding it in his hand for a few seconds before it burst.

"You better believe that I'm going to have this down in no time, just you wait!" Naruto yelled as he picked the ball up, repeating the same process he used for the water balloon. He watched confused as the ball inflated, only to spring a small leak. "What the hell, that definitely should have worked!" the blonde yelled, not bothering to hide his frustration.

"I told you this part is going to be harder, I wasn't lying kid. You better get to work though; this is a crucial part to rasengan. The faster and more compacted the chakra is, the more punch it'll pack." Jiraiya said, his words spurring new motivation in the blonde as he got to practicing. "Don't think I forgot about you missy, how's your training coming along?" the toad sage asked as he walked over towards Hinata.

"I never realized how difficult using the chakra points in my feet and legs would be, but I feel like I'm making progress." Hinata replied cheerfully, Jiraiya smiling at the girl in return.

"Good, I'm glad to hear that. I'm off though; I'll be in my study if you need me." Jiraiya said while waving before going back inside, leaving the two genin to continue practicing their respective training.

'I hope we can spend some time together once we're finished' Hinata thought as she stared at her boyfriend, the thought of fighting for him being more than enough motivation.

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"Sasuke, Haku, what a surprise seeing you here." Kakashi said sarcastically as he stood leaning against a tree outside the Uchiha compound.

"Very funny sensei, did you need something?" Sasuke asked, Haku merely watching the silver haired jonin.

"Yes actually, I did. You see, Jiraiya and I have decided to split up team seven and train you according to your strengths. You see, Naruto and Hinata are both extremely powerful at close range, and Jiraiya is currently training them to better that with a special training technique. The two of you, while being powerful at close and mid-range, possess a greater speed than the two of them, so we'll be working with that." Kakashi said, Sasuke getting a small grin on his face as he thought of learning directly under Kakashi.

"So where would you like us to go?" Haku asked, curious where the two would be doing this training.

"Sasuke knows where it is, a training field with wooden posts." Kakashi said before disappearing in a puff of smoke, Sasuke already leading Haku towards their destination. It didn't take the two of them very long at their speed to get to the training area, Kakashi already there waiting.

"Well, when do we begin?" Sasuke asked, barely containing his excitement. He maintained his cool though, not wanting to make a scene.

"First, I'm going to explain some things to Haku. I'm going to need to focus on you more, so you'll have to wait for now." Kakashi replied as he and Haku proceeded to the center of the field.

"Alright, what I'm going to do with you is fairly simple, something I learned from a friend of mine. Using your kekkai genkai, you're going to create solid ice around your arms and legs, equivalent to weights. Once the weights are on, you're simply going to do physical conditioning, such as running, pushups, etc." Kakashi said, knowing how Guy had gotten Lee much faster using leg weights.

"It seems rather primitive, but if you say it works, I shall trust your judgment." Haku replied, beginning the process of creating ice weights around her wrists and ankles. Once she finished, she starting doing laps around the track, her speed severely decreased.

"Good, she's off to a good start. Now for you, Sasuke, the first thing we need to do is get your sharingan to finally show. For this to occur, I may start trying some unorthodox stuff, so be ready." Kakashi said to the confused Uchiha before he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"What the hell, sensei is this some sort of test?" Sasuke asked, wondering why the jonin had simply disappeared from sight.

"I guess you could call it that." Kakashi said from behind him before throwing multiple punches at the kid, each attack blocked perfectly. 'He's already very fast, going to have to step it up' the jonin thought as he launched the Uchiha away long enough to reveal his sharingan.

"Kakashi, you're going to use your sharingan against me?" Sasuke thought, nervous after seeing firsthand the destruction he could cause with it.

"You bet, you're not afraid, are you?" Kakashi said with a smirk before flying at the Uchiha with increased speed, Sasuke not able to block his attacks this time as he was knocked to the ground.

'Damn it, he's moving even faster now' Sasuke thought as he picked himself up before being set upon again by the jonin. He lasted a little longer, but Kakashi's movements were just too fast to block or avoid forever.

"Come on Uchiha, pick yourself up and fight me!" Kakashi yelled, hoping to get the boy fired up. His words had the desired effect as Sasuke launched himself at the jonin, giving everything he had into his strikes. "You're still not fast enough to beat me." Kakashi taunted him before evading an overly reckless blow and retaliating with an elbow to Sasuke's gut, dropping him to the ground.

'So this is the power of a jonin, and he's even holding back' Sasuke thought as he struggled to regain his breath. He stood up again, only to quickly evade kunai that had been thrown at him from somewhere in the trees. "What the hell was that, kunai?" the Uchiha yelled out angrily.

'Sorry kid, but it's going to take life or death to activate your sharingan' Kakashi thought to himself as he launched more kunai from his hiding spot before moving to a new location.

"Fine, that's how you want to play, let's go. Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke yelled as he shot a fireball at where he thought the jonin was hiding, only to throw kunai to a different spot right after.

'He's a quick learner, time to change it up' Kakashi thought as he narrowly avoided the kunai after jumping away from the fireball directed at him. When he landed, he created a shadow clone before launching himself at the genin, the two clones proceeding into a flurry of punches and kicks.

'Great, just when I thought one was bad enough' Sasuke said as he used every bit of agility and speed he possessed to just dodge the impressive taijutsu being used against him. He wasn't fast enough though as the two finally landed clean hits on him, sending him flying across the training field.

"Didn't think I'd have to go this far, but it's for the best." Kakashi muttered as he dispelled the shadow clone, lowering his arm and focusing an extreme amount of chakra into the palm of his hand. "Lightning Blade!" the jonin yelled as he ran as fast as he could at Sasuke.

'The energy radiating from that attack, what do I do' Sasuke questioned himself nervously before something incredible happened. Suddenly, the jonin's movements seemed clearer to him, like he wasn't running anywhere near as fast anymore. 'What on earth is going on' Sasuke asked before dodging the chidori at the last second, confused why it had seemed much easier than it should have been.

"Congratulations Sasuke, you've finally acquired your sharingan." Kakashi said happily as he lowered his head band, pulling his hand from the ground where he had hit.

"What are you talking about; I don't feel any different…" Sasuke said quietly, pulling his head band off to look in his reflection. With a shocked look on his face, he could only stare in awe at his reflection, his normally dark eyes now red with two tomoe in them.

"What, did you think I'd lie about that? Or did you already forget what I said before I suddenly attacked you." Kakashi asked the Uchiha, snapping him out of his daze.

"I understand, you had to force me into tracking something that my naked eye couldn't." Sasuke replied, suddenly very grateful for the beating his sensei had delivered.

"Exactly, although I hadn't expected to have to use chidori against you. Guess your body is as stubborn as you are." The jonin said, watching as Sasuke eyed him curiously. "Something on your mind?"

"Kakashi, is there any chance you could teach that to me?" Sasuke asked, fascinated by the jutsu the jonin had used. Kakashi chuckled at his question, confusing the genin.

"I'll be honest; I had already planned on teaching it to you if I could get your sharingan to finally appear." Kakashi said, holding his arm in front of him before creating the lightning blade again. "The chidori, or lightning blade, is my own original jutsu. For someone with good chakra control, the technique is fairly simple to learn, although it can be quite demanding on your chakra reserves at times. The power behind the chidori is the speed with which it's delivered though, hence why I'm teaching it to you and not Naruto." Kakashi said, releasing the jutsu while Sasuke watched in awe and excitement at the technique.

"So all I have to do is focus chakra into the palm of my hand?" Sasuke asked, trying to replicate what he'd seen. His hand had created a small spark wave before he had to release the focus, his chakra reserves nearly depleted from the spar earlier.

"I think you'll get the hang of it quick, but it's best to practice when you aren't tired from a fight. Try to force the jutsu, and not only will it not work, but you run the risk of completely depleting your chakra, something that can kill you." Kakashi said sternly, hoping that the boy would understand how serious he was. Sasuke nodded, glad that he hadn't tried harder at the attempt. "For now, just work on activating and deactivating your sharingan while doing various activities, help develop control over it." The jonin said, Sasuke smiling at what he said.

'My sharingan, I finally have my sharingan' Sasuke whispered to himself excitedly while he set off to do what his teacher had said. Haku happily watched her friend water walk while activating and deactivating the visual jutsu, enjoying seeing how happy he was.

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"So how did it go with Sasuke and Haku?" Jiraiya asked his silver haired friend while the two drank sake at a local bar.

"Sasuke was able to activate his sharingan after a more rigorous sparring session, and Haku worked on training with weights on." Kakashi replied, emptying his cup before proceeding. "What about your day, how goes Hinata and Naruto's training?"

"Hell, the blonde is just as much a genius as his father was at his age, maybe even more now that he has the resources he does. Hinata is very driven, especially when it comes to being side by side with Naruto. They're coming along great, that's for damn sure." Jiraiya said proudly as the two finished the first bottle off. There was a short silence while the waitress brought another bottle before Kakashi proceeded.

"Good, with them coming along as quickly as they are, I feel confident that they'll do well in these upcoming chunin exams. You knew they were coming up, right?" Kakashi asked, pouring the two drinks while Jiraiya chuckled at him.

"Kakashi, just because I was gone for a while doesn't mean I've forgotten specific dates. I knew you had wanted them to participate in the chunin exams ever since the kid ran home your first day back saying you had a surprise planned." Jiraiya replied, finishing two drinks in quick succession.

"Alright, I'm just making sure. You know, this team of mine, it's one of the best teams I've seen in an incredibly long time. They're going to do great things someday." Kakashi said, beginning to ramble as the sake settled in.

"I know, these kids could end up as legends Kakashi, possibly even more famous than the three Sannin!" Jiraiya said excitedly, imagining a day where Naruto was more known than he was.

"Indeed they could! But for now, may as well enjoy the easy days while they're young." Kakashi said, touching glasses with Jiraiya before the two downed them in one gulp.

"I'll drink to that, Cheers!" Jiraiya said heartily, more than happy to celebrate the easy days. Little did the two know that things were about to change all around the world, some changes much worse than others.


	12. Chapter 11

**Of Foxes, Toads, and Ninja**

**A/N: Finally chapter eleven is here, something that I feel took much longer than it needed to. You probably noticed that updates aren't daily anymore, something due to my busy schedule finally catching up to me. However, I will still update as often as possible, with once a week updates being the worst case scenario. With that being said, this chapter brings with it Neji being a dick, Haku getting a big surprise, and the start of the chunin exams! I hope you all enjoy, and as always, any and all feedback is appreciated. So go faithful readers, and continue reading about your favorite blonde ninja! **

Copyright Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own any characters from said franchise. If I did…well I wouldn't be writing on here.

Chapter 11: Damn, More Tests

"Hey, Sasuke, Haku, you guys all ready for Kakashi's big surprise?" Naruto yelled excitedly as he ran to the training ground they had been told to meet at. Hinata giggled at her boyfriend's excitement while she continued at her own pace, smiling at their two friends.

"We've been ready, I feel like I should be asking you that though, goofing around with Jiraiya for two weeks." Sasuke said with a grin, Naruto knowing his friend had been sarcastic.

"Hell yeah we're ready, just you wait!" Naruto replied, his enthusiasm and cheerfulness becoming contagious as his friends around him got excited. The boy's went on to talk about stuff they had done during their time with their teachers while the girls caught up on how they'd been doing the past week.

"I'm starting to find it rather humorous how nervous Sasuke gets when we're alone. Saturday after we met you guy's for ramen, we walked home hand in hand, and I don't think his face was anything but red the entire time." Haku said while giggling, enjoying the time she had to talk about frivolous things like that.

"Aw, you two really are great together. Not as perfect as Naruto and I, but maybe you'll get there someday." Hinata teased, her friend sighing longingly. "Haku, what's wrong?"

"Hinata, I can only hope that Sasuke looks at me like Naruto looks at you someday. Every time the blonde sees you, I can see the passion and fire in his eyes, like seeing you could give him the strength to accomplish anything." Haku said, Hinata blushing slightly at her friend's words.

"Haku, how could you see all that? Even with my eyes, I feel like I'm still missing things." Hinata replied, confused when Haku giggled again.

"Hinata, you miss it because of the daze your constantly in when he's close to you. Unless there's a fight going on around you, you look like you're in a dream around the blonde." Haku said, Hinata once again blushing at the truth in her words.

"Enough wasting time now team, we've got important matters to discuss." Kakashi said as he appeared in the middle of the field in a puff of smoke, scaring the shit out of Hinata and Haku.

"It's about time you got here, are you on time for anything?" Naruto asked, frustrated with the tardiness his teacher always had.

"Now first thing we need to talk about. Haku, you are to report to the Hokage's office immediately, I'll be meeting you there shortly." Kakashi said, ignoring Naruto's comment while Haku bowed and dashed off. Although he had been calm about it, Sasuke was worried that something had happened. "Calm down Sasuke, I promise that everything is fine." the jonin said, calming the Uchiha immensely. "Second thing, I need the three of you to sign these." Kakashi said as he handed each of them a small sheet of paper.

"Sensei, what is it for?" Hinata asked, curious what she was signing her name down for. Kakashi smiled at the three students before responding.

"I'm glad you asked. You see, I have recommended the three of you for the coming chunin exams." Kakashi said happily while smiles erupted on the three genin's faces.

"So this was the surprise you had in mind." Sasuke said as he signed his sheet, his excitement close to bursting out.

"No wonder Jiraiya was pushing us so hard Hinata, I bet he wanted to make sure we'd be good and ready for this!" Naruto said excitedly, not bothering to control his excitement.

"So why didn't Haku get one then, does that mean she won't be competing with us?" Hinata asked, sad that she wouldn't have her new friend here with them.

"I wish she could be out here with you guys, but the rules say that only three member squads may join. Also, despite the fact that she's here with us now, she isn't a leaf ninja. I wouldn't be too worried though, the Hokage is sure to have something planned." Kakashi said, trying to lift Hinata's and Sasuke's spirits.

"Hey guys don't be too down about it. We can get her out here with us the next time around!" Naruto replied, trying to sound cheerier than he was. He was bummed out that Haku couldn't join them, but he wasn't going to let that kill the mood.

"If it makes you feel any better, if you guys make it to the third round, I promise she'll be there with me cheering you on." Kakashi said, happy when he saw their faces go from sad to small smiles.

"Alright, well where do we need to go?" Sasuke asked, determined now to finish this thing out.

"That's the spirit, you need to get to the schoolhouse and report to room three eleven. Oh, and you need to be there by three O' clock this afternoon, or you forfeit your spot." The jonin said before disappearing again, heading to the Hokage tower to meet up with Haku.

"So, you guys think we can do this?" Hinata asked, looking to her two favorite boys for support. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't nervous, but she also knew that the three of them could accomplish anything together.

"Your damn right we can do this Hinata, have faith in us as a team!" Naruto yelled before kissing Hinata quickly and passionately, hoping to cheer her up. "For luck." the blonde said as he finally pulled away, his heart threatening to beat out of his chest from how amazing that kiss was. Hinata only nodded in response as her face threatened to turn red permanently, her legs shaking under her from how great it had been.

"Come on lovebirds, let's get to the schoolhouse." Sasuke said while chuckling as he and Naruto walked on either side of Hinata. Together the three of them headed towards their destination, ready for the challenges that would await them.

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"Lord Hokage, you wished to see me?" Haku asked as she entered the old man's office, taking a seat in the chair across from him.

"Yes Haku, I did. I needed to inform you that unfortunately, I cannot allow you to compete in the chunin exams with team seven due to you being a mist shinobi." Sarutobi said, his face remaining indifferent as he told her the bad news.

"Ah, I figured that something like this would happen eventually. Very well Hokage, I respect your choice." Haku replied, trying to remain calm when she was suddenly so sad.

"However, just because I can't let you compete does not mean that I can't do something else." Sarutobi said with a smile as Kakashi finally arrived in the office. "Ah, just the person I wanted to see."

"Sorry I'm late; you wouldn't believe how many old ladies can't cross streets by themselves. Anyway, Haku, I've recommended to the Hokage that you be meritoriously promoted to chunin. You're a very skilled kunoichi; you have great control of your emotions, your able to think logically when needed, and your two years older than your genin companions." Kakashi said, smiling as he listed off the reasons he felt the girl be promoted.

"Sensei, you really believe all that?" Haku asked, shocked at the sudden turn of events. Here she was being told she couldn't be with her team, only to find out that she could still be a chunin regardless.

"He does, as do I. I trust Kakashi when it comes to his opinion of how able a ninja is, and I trust him now when he tells me that he feels you're a chunin level ninja. Therefore, I hereby promote you, Haku Momochi, to chunin under two conditions. One, you must wear your mist headband proudly! Two, you must continue down the honorable path that you currently travel." Sarutobi announced cheerfully, handing Haku a modified chunin jacket. Instead of being the normal leaf green, it was a light blue with an extremely dark blue trim along the bottom with the mist symbol on the back where the neck connects to the body.

"Hokage, I am truly honored by this, and I promise to uphold the conditions you have set before me. I only have one question though." Haku said, putting the jacket on before a frown grew on her face. She didn't have time to ask though, as Kakashi had already spoken up.

"Haku, you'll be able to see your team during the exams, you can travel with me for now. When they get to the final rounds, you'll be able to see them for yourself and cheer them on." The silver haired jonin said, the frown gone from Haku's face as she sat in awe of her current good luck.

"I cannot begin to describe how grateful I am to both of you, but I can say that I will do my best to make you proud." Haku said, standing and bowing deeply to the Hokage first and Kakashi right after.

"Your very welcome Haku, I know that you'll go on to do great things someday." Sarutobi replied.

"For now though, go ahead and head back to the Uchiha compound. Tomorrow morning I'll be at our normal training spot at nine, meet me there." Kakashi said, Haku nodding as she walked out of the office. "You really have that much faith in me?" the jonin asked.

"Yes, but that isn't the only reason I promoted the girl. When it comes down to it, we are all shinobi, no matter what flag we carry. For me, this felt like a small step towards unifying our nations." Sarutobi replied, lighting his pipe as he watched over his village from the window. Kakashi nodded and left, leaving the old man to his thoughts. 'Someday, I pray that the nations all be allies' the Hokage thought as he puffed on his pipe.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Alright, we're finally here!" Naruto said excitedly as team seven walked into the school house, all three of them as excited as Naruto.

"Yeah, and it sounds like we aren't the first either." Sasuke said, listening to all the commotion that was going on from further inside.

"It looks like there's a commotion going on in front of a classroom, there's so many people clustered around one door." Hinata said, using her Byakugan to see what was going on inside the building. Before she could identify any familiar faces though, her concentration was broken by a flash of green appearing in front of them.

"YA! Sasuke Uchiha, it is very nice to meet you. My name is Rock Lee, and I am here to challenge you!" Lee said energetically as he squared off with the Uchiha.

"Before I accept, will you tell me why you want to challenge me?" Sasuke asked, curious why this newcomer would want to fight him already.

"It is simple, I wish to defeat my team mate and rival, Neji Hyuuga someday and prove that pure hard work and hot bloodedness can conquer born skill. You use a visual jutsu similar to his Byakugan; therefore if I can defeat you, I may someday beat him." Lee said before assuming his rough fist fighting stance.

"Oh well, it's your funeral." Sasuke said before activating his sharingan and charging the green clad figure, amazed when he dodged his strike so easily. 'Damn, this guy's fast' the Uchiha thought as he turned to face him.

"Let it begin, leaf whirlwind!" Lee called as he used an incredibly fast sweeping kick, Sasuke barely able to dodge it. His sharingan was able to read his every move and attack, but Lee was still so fast. Soon the two were toe to toe, each giving and receiving blows rapidly. Sasuke was tiring quickly though, something Lee had been noticing. "Come on Sasuke, what good is your sharingan if your body can't keep up?" Lee said mockingly as he let some of the tape around his hands come loose before sending Sasuke flying high with a powerful upward kick.

"Lee, what have I told you about using THAT technique?!" a voice yelled from nowhere as a kunai stuck Lee's hand gauze to the wall. Hinata was the first to notice a new person appear, although he was obviously not a genin. He wore the same green jumpsuit that Lee wore, and the two even had matching haircuts and bushy eyebrows. The only difference was this new man was much older and wore a leaf vest.

"Guy sensei, you told me to only use it when my ninja way was in danger!" Lee yelled as he popped to attention upon noticing his mentor was here.

"Exactly right, so you know what that means!" Guy said as he charged forward blindingly fast before punching Lee hard, sending him flying across the room. Before anyone could react though, Guy used his endless sunset genjutsu. "Oh Lee, I hope that didn't hurt too badly. I just had to teach you a lesson!" Guy yelled dramatically as he held the boy up by the shoulders.

"It's ok Guy sensei, I'm fine! I promise not to disobey your orders again!" Lee yelled back just as energetically, tears in his eyes as he looked up at his teacher.

"Oh Lee, you're a great student!" Guy cried out as he crushed the boy in a powerful hug, tears now in his eyes.

"Guy sensei!" Lee yelled back as he returned the hug, his tears now flowing shamelessly.

"Man, who the hell are these two?" Naruto asked, Sasuke merely shrugging his shoulders, his mind preoccupied from the earlier spar.

"Now I recognize him, that's Might Guy, Neji's team leader and a taijutsu master of the world. Even the Hyuuga elders have recognized his taijutsu as legendary, although they'd never admit it to him." Hinata said, giggling at the scene of the two boys crying and hugging each other.

"Ah, I see my reputation precedes me! Your right little Hyuuga, I'm Might Guy, the jonin leader of team Guy! I'm guessing that you're my eternal rival Kakashi's team then?" Guy asked, the two matching ninja now facing team seven.

"You bet we are! I'm Naruto Namikaze, that's Sasuke Uchiha, and the beautiful girl next to me is Hinata Hyuuga!" Naruto answered, taking an immediate liking to the two ninja. Anybody that was as energetic as he was had to be good people in his eyes.

"Ah, I can see the power of youth is strong in you three, especially you Naruto! But you better hurry your due at your destination in thirty minutes! Lee, go meet back up with the other two before you three move on." Guy said, giving all the genin present his nice guy pose before disappearing once again in blinding speed.

"Yes Guy sensei! Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, may we meet again during the exams." Lee said before charging off to try and find his team.

"Sasuke, you're not hurt are you?" Hinata asked, noticing how quiet the Uchiha had been since Guy had arrived.

"I'm fine, let's just get to where we need to go." Sasuke said, his words coming out harsher than he meant for them too. Naruto had noticed however, and immediately stepped in.

"Hey man, don't get pissed at her because bushy brows beat you. Just work past it and let's go, you and I both know you could kick his ass any time you wanted." Naruto said, a mischievous smirk on his face as he tried cheering up his friend. His words must have gotten through though, as the Uchiha grinned at his friend in the same manner.

"Yeah, you got me there. Let's get up there, I feel like kicking some genin ass at these exams." Sasuke said as he led the three of them into a hallway, up some stairs, down another hallway, and up more stairs before finding the room number they needed.

"Alright, we're finally here!" Naruto yelled excitedly as the three walked down the quiet hallway towards the classroom they were supposed to be meeting in.

"Good, the three of you made it here on time." Kakashi said as he appeared in a puff of smoke, his team not surprised by his sudden appearance. "What, no jumping back scared or asking why I'm here?" the jonin asked, faking disappointment in his voice.

"Sensei, even I'm not frightened by your smoky entrances anymore." Hinata said, causing the whole group to laugh.

"Well, I consider that to be a challenge. But anyway, I'm just here to say I'm glad to see the three of you here." Kakashi said, putting emphasis on the three.

"Is there something you're not telling us?" Sasuke asked, voicing what the team had been thinking.

"Well, something I didn't tell you when I gave you those entry sheets were that it takes three people to enter the exams. Any less, and your team waits until the next test. Seeing the three of you all show up willingly really makes me glad I nominated you guys to do this." Kakashi said, the kids smiling at the proudness in his face.

"Well duh sensei, of course we all came! We're here to kick some ass at these exams, believe it!" Naruto yelled excitedly.

"That's good, keep your eyes on the prize and you should do great. However, I'm also here to warn you that there are some opponents in there that should not be taken lightly, namely a group from the sand village and another from the sound village." Kakashi said seriously, his team nodding in response. "With that being said, good luck guys." the jonin said before making his usual exit in smoke and leaves.

"Come on guys, time to show the competition that we're the best there is!" Naruto said excitedly as he charged through the door, surprised when he saw that the room was packed with genin.

"What happened to that excitement there, buddy?" Sasuke asked sarcastically as his friend quieted considerably when all eyes were on him. Hinata took pity on her boyfriend though, turning him around and wrapping her arms around him lovingly.

"Relax Naruto, we'll show them how great we are through our actions." Hinata whispered in his ear, her warm breath sending shivers down his spine in excitement. It was then that she kissed him deeply and passionately in front of everyone, not caring who was watching. When she finally pulled back, Naruto could only watch her breathlessly. "For good luck." she said with a wink, Naruto finally getting his voice back after seeing how bold Hinata was.

"Yeah, that's right! We're team seven, and we're going to kick anybody's ass if they try to stop us from winning!" Naruto yelled excitedly, earning glares from just about everyone in the room besides his team. Hinata watched him with admiration in her eyes while Sasuke grinned at the crowd, daring somebody to say anything as he flashed them his sharingan.

"Big words, it's a shame you won't be able to back them up." Kiba said as he and the rest of team eight walked up to them. Ino was putting as much hate as she could into her stare as she glared at Hinata, her anger threatening to spill over after watching her kiss with Naruto.

"Yeah, and what are you going to do about it dog boy?" Naruto asked the Inuzuka mockingly, earning a giggle from Hinata and a growl from Kiba.

"I don't know what you're giggling about bitch, you're going down to!" Ino nearly screamed, the two girls now staring at each other coldly.

"Ino, Kiba, calm down and back off. This is a competition, which means don't do anything stupid that could disqualify us." Shino said coolly, his two hot-headed team mates backing off slowly.

"So, this is the squad that I've heard so much about from sensei. Well, all I see is a cowardly Hyuuga, a hot-headed fool, and a pretender that thinks his visual jutsu is supreme." an arrogant voice said as another team made its way over, Naruto recognizing Lee right away.

"Hey bushy brows, you didn't tell me that arrogant bastard was on your team!" Naruto yelled as he ran up to where team guy was standing, ignoring Neji's comment from earlier.

"Naruto, I knew that your team would be here. I ask though that you please do not speak ill of my team mates." Lee replied, his last comment seeming forced as he looked away from the blonde.

"Hey now, there's no need to be a jerk to Neji just because he's better than you in every way." a girl said from behind the older Hyuuga. She was a little taller than Hinata, wearing a sleeveless pink shirt and blue pants. She had dark hair that was pulled up into two separate buns, making her look like a panda bear of sorts. What Naruto noticed more than anything though was that the look she gave Neji was one of pure admiration.

"Enough Tenten, you don't need to respond to the words of someone obviously inferior to us." Neji said, this time angering not only Naruto but Sasuke as well.

"Excuse me you son of a bitch? None of us are inferior to anybody in here, and you're definitely not superior to anyone!" Naruto yelled, his eyes going from blue to red as he glared at the Hyuuga. This in turn caused Neji to activate his bloodline, only to be shocked at the massive amounts of chakra the blonde possessed.

'Who is this kid to have so much chakra, more than my whole team combined' Neji asked himself while he went back to his normal calm exterior.

"Man, how troublesome. It's only day one and their already at each other's throats." Shikamaru said lazily while he and team ten sat a safe distance away.

"I don't know why their all so mad now, I'm sure we're going to have to fight later in the exams anyway." Choji said, opening a fresh bag of chips and starting into them with a passion.

"I'm going to agree with Choji on this one, it doesn't make sense to waste energy now when we're going to need it later on." a calm Sakura replied, the pink haired girl stealing glances at Sasuke every now and then. Ever since graduation day, she had made remarkable progress now that she wasn't constantly around Ino and Sasuke. She had even cut her hair short, convinced that if her crush actually liked her, it wouldn't be based on how long her hair is. She had learned to just mellow out and relax now that she was teamed with Shika and Choji, two guys that she could call her favorite boys.

"Amen to that, why waste energy period, it's too troublesome if you ask me." Shikamaru replied before putting his head down to take a nap. He had grown to enjoy Sakura's company, especially since she was actually very intelligent when she wasn't acting like a giggling fan girl.

"Ha, is this blonde kid for real? He obviously doesn't stand a chance against us." a sand ninja in a black full body suit with purple face paint said, snickering to himself.

"Something tells me that the blonde's team would be more fun to fight against than that dog boys' team." A blonde sand kunoichi replied. She was taller than both her team mates and had blonde hair pulled into four buns on her head.

"Eh, I just can't wait for this shit to start; I'm so fucking bored just sitting here Temari." the black clothed ninja said back.

"I know the feeling Kankuro, anything would be better than just waiting around for the fun to start. Maybe we could go mess around with the weaker looking leaf ninja." Temari said with a smile, her red haired companion finally speaking up.

"You will do no such thing, either of you. We're keeping a low profile until the time is right, got it?" the third sand ninja said, the ninja easily recognizable by his red hair and the gourd on his back.

"Um, sure Gaara, no problem." Kankuro replied, seeing the murderous look in his companion's eyes and not wanting to test his patience. Temari simply nodded before taking a seat, thankful when the door opened and what appeared to be a leaf jonin followed by an assortment of chunin entered the room.

"Sit the fuck down and pay attention!" the new arrival yelled as he walked in, every genin in the room flying to a seat quickly. "My name is Ibiki Morino, and I will be the test proctor for the first part of your chunin exams!" the jonin yelled again while the chunin that followed him in began passing out papers to all the genin in the room. When all the papers were handed out, the chunin lined up along the walls on both sides of the room, looking down the rows of students. "Now, you all have a sheet of paper in front of you now. The first part of the exam is simple; you'll have an hour to finish these ten questions, I'll give you the tenth question at the forty five minute mark. You will be removed from the room if you are caught cheating five times, at which point the rest of your team will join you in failing the exam. Now, are there any questions before we begin?" Ibiki asked, a sinister grin on his face as he looked at the room full of genin. He waited a solid minute before he started the clock.

'Why would he give us five chances to get caught for this test' Sasuke asked himself as he looked over the questions, noting that they weren't easy questions at all. He took a minute to let everything soak in before he realized what the test was actually about. 'This test, it must be to see how well you can gather information' the Uchiha said, activating his sharingan to perfectly mimic the movements of a kid in front of him that was writing down the answers very quickly.

'Man, these questions are so fucking stupid. When am I ever going to need to know the target angle and trajectory of a kunai when I'm standing in a tree so many meters away from my opponent' Naruto thought to himself as he wrote down bullshit answers to make it look like he was doing something. He had learned a lot of practical and book knowledge from Jiraiya, but these questions were beyond what most genin would know.

'I wish I didn't have to cheat, but I can't let Naruto and Sasuke down' Hinata said as she activated her Byakugan, finding answers that appeared to be correct and writing them down. She was against the idea of cheating to get ahead, but she didn't want to be the reason her team failed.

"Yeah, good boy Akamaru." Kiba whispered to his puppy that was resting on his head, the small dog relaying answers to his master in a method only an Inuzuka would understand.

"Thank you, my little friends." Shino whispered as his insects flew back to him, giving him information for various answers. The kunoichi next to him squealed when she saw all the bugs, only to get herself and her team kicked out.

"Ninja Art: Mind Transfer Jutsu." Ino whispered as she used one of her clan's techniques to place her mind into the body of an unsuspecting ninja, looking over his answers thoroughly before releasing the jutsu, giggling to herself as she wrote down what she had seen.

'These questions are definitely hard, but not hard enough to stump me' Sakura thought to herself as she wrote down answers to the questions, not one question too difficult for her to answer.

"What a drag, they could've at least made the questions slightly challenging." Shikamaru whispered to himself, watching the clouds out of the window while his test lay next to him finished. 'Man clouds have it so good, just spending life floating by on the breeze' The Nara boy thought to himself jealously.

'Man, I would've been sunk if I hadn't sat next to Shika' Choji thought to himself as he covertly wrote down his best friend's answers, eating large mouthfuls of chips between answers.

'This is obviously a test to see how well you gather information about your surroundings; they could have at least made it a little more difficult to figure out' Neji thought to himself while he gathered answers from various people using his Byakugan. He chuckled to himself every time he saw a squad get kicked out of the room, thinking of how foolish they must have been.

"Tenten, I am most grateful for your assistance." Lee whispered to his team mate as she discreetly gave him answers. At first he was completely against cheating, but after seeing how difficult the test was, he had deemed that getting answers from Tenten was simply 'helping out the team'.

"No problem Lee, just don't make it look obvious that you're copying me." Tenten whispered back, happy to help knowing that Lee wasn't strong at academics at all.

'Man, any ninja with half a brain could answer these questions' Temari thought while she answered the questions, smirking at how easy the test had been. She had been hoping for more of a challenge, but at the same time she wasn't complaining at an easy pass through the first round.

'One by one, the puppets leave the show' Kankuro chuckled to himself as he used chakra lines to make opposing squads around him do ridiculous stunts to get them kicked out. He had answered a couple questions before it became difficult, so he had decided that sabotage would be just as useful. He looked over and saw that Gaara had used his third eye jutsu, the eye sending him every answer while the boy copied it down.

"Alright, for all you that remain, get ready for the tenth question. Before I give it to you though, there are a few things that need explained. First, if you choose to answer this question and get it wrong, then you will fail this exam and never be allowed to take it again!" Ibiki announced, every genin in the room shocked at this new revelation. "With that being said, if you choose to leave now, you and your team will be dismissed from this exam and still be able to take it next time. If you wish to do this, simply raise your hand now." The jonin said, smirking when he saw a multitude of hands shoot up instantly.

'What a bunch of cowards, leaving for fear of not being able to ascertain a correct answer' Neji thought to himself arrogantly as he watched multiple squads leave the classroom.

"So, all of you here wish to take a chance with the tenth question?" Ibiki asked the genin, every face left in the room now possessing an unwavering resolve to stick it out. "Well, if that's the case…then congratulations, you all pass the first round!" the jonin announced, a smile now on his face.

"WHAT! You mean that's it, there's no tenth question and you just tricked all those people?" Naruto yelled out, a few of the more sinister looking ninja snickering at his concern for others he didn't know.

"You're almost correct, except that I like to think of it more as seeing who had guts and who didn't, a test of sorts. You see, this first part wasn't to see who possessed the most book smarts, but who could covertly gather information, hence why you had five chances to get caught cheating instead of one." Ibiki said like it was the most obvious thing in the world while Naruto and Lee both shared dumbfounded looks on their faces. "As for the tenth question trick, that was simply to see who was willing to take a risk, something a chunin may have to do at any given moment." The jonin said, looks of understanding appearing on many of the genin's faces.

"Well, if this part is finished, when do we start the next part?" Sasuke asked, ready to get out of the dull classroom. No sooner did he say anything when a mysterious girl burst through the window, surprising everyone present besides Ibiki.

"Holy shit Ibiki, why the fuck are there so many left?" the girl asked the jonin, who simply smiled at her.

"Seems we have a good group of genin this time around, that's why." Ibiki answered, the girl now smiling back.

"Fine with me, more genin means that this next round will be that much better." The girl said before turning to face the participants. She had dark hair that was in a pony tail of sorts, and she wore a mini skirt and a mesh shirt that made her curves very apparent, covered only by the brown trench coat she wore over it all. "Listen up you little fuckers, I'm Anko Mitarashi, and I'll be your proctor for the next round." Anko announced with a mischievous look on her face, all the genin now a little more nervous for the upcoming round. 'Man, these kids are in for it' she thought to herself menacingly.


End file.
